The universal kid in all of us can rejoice at last: The LEGO Movie has finally hit theatres!

Highly anticipated, The LEGO Movie is primed to sweep the box office with a celebrity cast and major marketing tie-ins. Written and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs), it features the incredible animation work of Chris McKay (Robot Chicken).

But beyond the delightful gimmick of a Lego feature, this wickedly multi-level story line is genuinely funny and at times quite clever – even subversive. Packed with surprises designed to speak to fans, The LEGO Movie is not only entertaining; it’s an entirely new genre of animated filmmaking through toys.

This is the story of a common construction worker named Emmet (Chris Pratt), who is mistaken for the man destined to save the world. The reluctant hero enjoys ‘following the instructions’ and buys in to the social norms of his Lego realm, controlled by Lord Business (Will Ferrell). Emmet is quite happy to follow their routines without question, never considering the creative aspect of their build. Adults can quickly grasp this subversive theme, but it’s particularly funny when underscored by the worker theme song, “Everything is Awesome!” (which kids love and you will never get out of your head).

Despite the ‘Awesome’ exterior of the Lego realm, Lord Business is cooking up a dark plot that promises to destroy the entire Lego World. But a prophecy states that world will be saved by a Master Builder, someone who doesn’t stick to the rules and can build anything from pieces they find. And they can only save the world by finding the piece of resistance, which Emmet happens to become stuck to at his construction site.

The sassy Master Builder named Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) stumbles on Emmet and takes him for the would-be hero. Believing he is the chosen one, she rallies her mentor Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), her boyfriend Batman (Will Arnett), and all the famous Lego Master Builders (Jonah Hill as Green Lantern, Alison Brie as Unikitty, Will Forte as Abraham Lincoln and many more). Confronted with a task that demands him to act on his own free will, the common construction worker is forced to question his logic and choose between following the rules, or helping his new friends. What makes this movie different is that he chooses BOTH.

Without any spoilers, this relatively straightforward set up makes for a hilarious romp through the Lego realms as the Master Builders rally to help Emmet learn to use his ‘creative powers’. If you’re a Lego nerd, you’ll adore the references to individual pieces of past kits, particularly the ‘Spaceman Steve’ throwback (this is the kit I used to have If you’re an animation nerd, you’ll love the intricately shot 3D models, individually animated ‘bullets’ and ‘lasers’, and tremendously creative character modelling. And frankly, if you’re not any kind of nerd at all you’ll probably still love this movie for the slightly sarcastic but fundamentally sweet subversion of societal rules.

In a movie that could have easily stooped to the level of childish storytelling, The LEGO Movie is an impressively complex look at the balance between the merits of order and chaos. And even knowing this, there are some fantastic surprises in the movie which will totally disrupt your assumptions about the characters and their world; especially poignant is the ‘Bad Dad’ role played by Will Ferrell which is sure to strike a chord with any Lego-loving parent. It’s amazing how many life lessons can be conveyed through the Lego hobby.

What began as a whimsical way to bring an 80-year old toy brand in to the storytelling age, has come off so well it’s likely to become its own genre of stop-motion filmmaking. After 5 years and close to 65 million dollars, The LEGO Movie is an impressive example of how 3D computer animation is tapping in to traditional stop motion. But the real surprise is the incredibly entertaining and insightful storyline, designed to make Lego fans not only laugh but also reflect deeply on the meaning of being a Lego builder. Can’t wait for #2.

Slotted for release on May 24, 2013, the third and final chapter will see Galifinakis, Helms, Cooper, Jeong and other favourites going hard on the hijinks. Also rumoured? Melissa McCarthy – which has me sold.

But here, enjoy the trailer:

I’m a huge fan of sin city; this is why I loved The Hangover. I don’t think I’m alone… the first movie grossed almost $45 million in its opening weekend; this may look dismal compared to The Hangover Part II, which took place in Bangkok and took in over $85 million at its debut. But the Las Vegas antics were always at the heart of the movie’s success, and if the franchise hopes to continue its box office run to the bank, it’s wise to bring the wolf pack back to the familiarity of the strip.

No doubt The Hangover Part III will prove one of the bigger summer blockbusters; even if the movie can’t live up to the original, everyone loves a good Hangover story… not to mention another movie-based excuse to go on a Vegas binge of your own!

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2013/03/07/trailer-time-the-hangover-part-iii/feed/0thehangover3correlations31 Days of Horror: Creepshowhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/10/31/31-days-of-horror-creepshow/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/31/31-days-of-horror-creepshow/#commentsWed, 31 Oct 2012 13:50:55 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=11407Halloween is my favourite holiday for a good reason – costumes, candy, mischief… but I think what really thrills me is the idea that all things evil could become awesome. As a kid, I adored this holiday because it flipped convention on its head – celebrating the things that would normally horrify people, Halloween definitely sparked a love for the horror genre. And Creepshow nurtured it in to a full blown obsession.

Creepshow was released in 1982, directed by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King. With credentials like that, I probably don’t need to add that it was inspired by the classic E.C. Comics of the 1950s. Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, Weird Science and even MAD magazine were the creations of this incredible publisher. No doubt these inspired horror icons like Romero and King, but I was born in the 80s and this movie was to be my first taste of their genius.

What follows is five scary short stories, all drawn from the pages of the book… packaging a tight and tidy format that would be reused in a second film. There’s a little something for everyone in Creepshow: zombies, aliens, revenge, monsters and cockroaches… so no matter what your fear, there’s bound to be at least one story that will grip you and make you squirm. If not, you’ll get a thrill out of seeing Leslie Neilsen and Ted Danson dabble in the genre.

Without any spoilers, the segments are all aptly titled:

Father’s Day

The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill

Something to Tide You Over

The Crate

They’re Creeping Up On You

My personal favourite? I do enjoy King’s performance as a loveable, hapless nerd done in by “meteor shit” in the second segment… but I think The Crate does the best job of rousing my innermost fears and sense of terror.

Although the film is old and the effects are dated, the comic book framing and dead serious 80s acting really brings Creepshow to life and for me, makes it the perfect Halloween horror film. There’s something nostalgic about the treatment of the film that matches perfectly with that rebellious young fascination with horror that drives us to dress up and take joy in fear.

Perhaps my favourite part is the end of the movie… where that mean Dad, who shouldn’t have thrown out his kids comics? He gets HIS due… and it’s awesome. It also leaves room for the sequel, Creepshow 2 which was also a King/Romero endeavour (but skip the third; go watch some Tales from the Crypt instead!)

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/31/31-days-of-horror-creepshow/feed/2creepshow-postercorrelationscreepshow-comiccreepshow-cockroachStar Wars VII Coming as Disney Buys Lucasfilm Ltd. for $4.05Bhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/10/31/star-wars-vii-coming-as-disney-buys-lucasfilm-ltd-for-4-05b/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/31/star-wars-vii-coming-as-disney-buys-lucasfilm-ltd-for-4-05b/#respondWed, 31 Oct 2012 04:00:25 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=11365Star Wars fans must have felt a tremor in the force today when their greatest wet dream (or horrific nightmare) became a 2015 reality… As reported by Wired and a million other parts of the interweb, Disney has purchased Lucasfilm Ltd. and the incredibly lucrative Star Wars franchise in a deal worth $4.05 billion.

Whatever you may think of the franchise, this is a big deal. Disney is stockpiling franchises it seems, grabbing Pixar, Marvel and now Lucasfilms Ltd. in the past 7 years.

For some, this is good news; securing the longevity of the Star Wars franchise with a new film promised for 2015. But the reaction wasn’t entirely positive…

For many, Disney is a corporate grab-all that threatens to amalgamate creative talent in the industry and forcibly edge out competition. And it’s worked out pretty well for both Disney and Lucas, who have collaborated in the past. As reported by the Chicago Tribune, “Lucas has a history with Disney dating back to when the “Star Tours” ride opened at Disneyland in 1987. They have since partnered on other theme park attractions and consumer products, prompting Lucas to describe his company as a “mini Disney”..”

So why is everyone so shocked that Lucas sold to Disney? Seems like the perfect crap factory marriage to me. I’m not a fan of the cookie cutter (albeit successful cookie cutter!) movies I’ve seen coming out of either end. But people adore these films, so I wasn’t surprised by the immediate response:

via MikhailS. “Umm I wouldn’t jump to conclusions. Star Wars, in spite of the bitter late crowd who feel consistently betrayed by Lucas, is a kids story at heart. Second Disney in spite [of] their notorious hungry capitalist perspective has been relatively smart enough to keep their claws away from the Pixar team (which incidentally Lucas started). Now they also have a deal with Marvel too.”

Very true! But I personally don’t think Pixar, the Marvel movie treatments, or Disney in general are great examples of creative ingenuity. I think there’s a danger in conglomerating creative enterprises under one ‘roof’ – even if they remain very separate, their business interests become entangled… rarely good for artistic output. Still, is a 7th Star Wars film is worth the potential risk of further damning the franchise?

Hey, I like Star Wars; I think the first movie is kitschy, the second is pretty solid, and the third is sappy. Hate all you want, but I dare you to watch the Christmas Special – produced and then unsuccessfully buried by Lucas – and tell me you think it’s a genius franchise. Never mind the controversy surrounding the newer prequels, and the subsequent digital altering of the original films.

via Andrew C. “I’ve been pissed ever since the digitally remastered original trilogy had Haden Christiansen super imposed at the end of Return if the Jedi…”

Of course, for every ‘hater’ there’s a devout fan who can’t wait to see what Disney/Lucas spits out. I’m the first to admit that I’ll watch the movie – though not in theatres, unless I’m invited to a free screening. If nothing else, this acquisition is a smart business move on the part of the Disney empire… too bad they can’t redeem Indiana Jones (unless Disney plans to buy that franchise off Paramount, too!)

I would love to know what YOU think of this deal, and what it may bear for the new Star Wars movie coming in 2015… ?

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/31/star-wars-vii-coming-as-disney-buys-lucasfilm-ltd-for-4-05b/feed/0lucas-disneycorrelationsstar-wars-731 Days of Horror: The Human Centipedehttps://biffbampop.com/2012/10/26/31-days-of-horror-the-human-centipede/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/26/31-days-of-horror-the-human-centipede/#commentsFri, 26 Oct 2012 13:21:07 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=11192There is a little doubt that horror films have had to raise their game in recent years. While classic horror has a certain artistic, romantic charm, there is a more insidious sub genre that seeks to twist the audience’s moral limits and test their psychological fortitude: “torture” films.

The Human Centipede is probably the most notorious “torture” horror film to make it in to North American theatres and more importantly, Netflix. This is how many of my friends were first exposed to the film and, lured in by the unique premise, this is how many came to loathe this movie. But despite widespread revulsion and even refusal to watch the film (and its sequel) in their entirety, I am stepping up in defence of The Human Centipede as one of the most successful visceral torture horror films.

Written and directed by Tom Six, The Human Centipede is essentially the story of a mad scientist trying to realize his dream of creating a ‘pet’ by surgically attaching 3 people together. With mouth to ass taking on a dramatic new meaning, the premise alone is enough to make some people cringe; and once the word got out on this movie, most people decided that it had no merit at all – it was just “another torture fetish film.’

However I feel quite differently, about both the first and second Human Centipede films. The first film takes great pains to develop the character of villain Dr. Heiter (Dieter Laser), a successful surgeon specializing in the separation of conjoined twins. But his dark passion is to do the opposite; to use his surgical skills to attach three people together and create the ‘Human Centipede’.

While kidnapping and forced confinement are nothing new to contemporary horror films, the graphic depictions in this movie often proves too much for viewers. Dr. Heiter is certainly the star of the film and the only character who we really come to understand at all. Everyone else is merely a victim – part of what makes this movie feel so dramatically bleak and truly horrific.

But the reason most will offer for not seeing the film (or not giving it a fair viewing) is the graphic ‘grossness’ and pure visceral accuracy. The film lavishes long shots on the caged victims, and pays special attention to the physical processes of the centipede creation; but I think what actually unsettles people is the sheer hopelessness of the victims’ situation. That’s not to say there’s no plot arc to the movie, and there are times when the audience will foolishly think there is a chance of escape; but the reality of this horrific scenario really leaves no room for hope. This, along with the conviction of Dr. Heiter, is what I find deliciously disturbing about The Human Centipede – never mind the corporeal horror of having your mouth grafted on to some else’s ass, forced to consume whatever their digestive system expels.

Given the lack of options given at the end of the first film, I absolutely LOVE the way Tom Six treated the sequel; and I find it somewhat endearing that he has created this monstrous franchise entirely on his own. I often hear the fact that studios made The Human Centipede II thrown out as ‘evidence’ of viewers’ unhealthy obsession with superfluous torture. Maybe. But the meta treatment of the original movie given by the second film is completely worth your while.

The Human Centipede II is, in part, a reaction to the world’s reaction to the first film. It stars a loner named Martin, who shares something in common with the audience – he saw The Human Centipede. But Martin really enjoyed it. Driven by his obsession with the film (and realizing the fears of everyone who turned their nose up at the first movie as a dangerous and pornographic depiction of torture that would appeal to sickos) Martin sets out to build a 12-person version of the human centipede.

The only person you’ll recognize from the first film is actress Ashlynne Yennie – who played Jennie, the only potential survivor in The Human Centipede. But she has a special role to play in the sequel… portraying herself (BOLD – considering the film’s thematic content), she is kidnapped by Martin, who simply must have “Jennie” in his tribute centipede creation. Consider this acting choice; Yennie agreed to be in the first film, arguably as the second worst spot in the centipede; then returned to play a fictional version of herself who is kidnapped and inserted in to a 12-person centipede “in real life”. Whether or not you feel the movie is successful in this elaborate meta plot, you have to give it some merit for this original treatment of a notoriously infamous film.

By no means are The Human Centipede films the first to go after our tolerance for human torture. Cannibal Holocaust is probably the first film I remember being viscerally disturbed by, and although that movie seemed designed for shock value I can’t deny that it intrigued me. But this wasn’t a film designed for mainstream release, either. What most people will recognize as ‘torture’ horror likely fall under either the Hostel or Saw franchises – disturbing sure, but definitely more focused on providing entertainment than abomination.

The Human Centipede tries to present both, and was so successful at sickening people that most couldn’t be entertained. What I find funny is that normally, mainstream audiences would never be exposed to a movie like this. However Netflix decided to feature it (??) and curious viewers who were lured in by initial curiosity were quickly embarrassed to find themselves watching such a graphic torture horror film.

So I encourage anyone who considers themselves a horror fan to sit down and give these films a fair viewing; and everyone else should just steer clear. Despite it’s repulsive depiction of suffering at the hands of an inspired intellectual, The Human Centipede is a pretty awesome depiction of suffering at the hands of an inspired intellectual

Even better? Tom Six is working on a third (and final) instalment to complete the franchise. The Human Centipede III is in preproduction and sees the return of Martin from the second film, likely promising an unhappy conclusion.

Fans probably heard about the leaked footage from the NYC Comic Con but at last an official Trailer is here. This trailer promises the Evil Dead we’ve all been dying for… hearkening back to the first film’s atmospheric spook, and pumped up with a massive effects budget and some smart camera techniques, this is officially my #1 MUST SEE movie of 2013.

But see for yourself…

Pretty awesome, am I right???

A relatively unknown director, Fede Alvarez, has taken on the chalenge of reinventing one of my favourite horror franchises. Although I haven’t seen it, his previous film Panic Attack (about giant robots invading a South American city) is supposed to be pretty good. I certainly have no complaints about his choices from what I see in this trailer…. except for the woefully distant release date: April 12th, 2013.

It looks like the ‘Ash’ role hasn’t been completed disposed of either. While this film has no ‘Ash’ character, there is a male lead (Shiloh Fernandez) who seems to share some of the heros tendencies. Also, we get to see a female play (Jane Levy) the classic hand possession role in the new film… I can’t wait!

If you’re excited and need to get more of your Evil Dead fix, here’s the panel from NY Comic Con featuring the cast and crew talking about Evil Dead (2013):

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/25/trailer-time-evil-dead-2013/feed/1Evil Dead 2013correlationsevil-dead-2013Saturday at the Movies: Paranormal Activity 4https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/20/saturday-at-the-movies-paranormal-activity-4/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/20/saturday-at-the-movies-paranormal-activity-4/#commentsSat, 20 Oct 2012 15:52:45 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=10927Paranormal Activity 4 was released this weekend just in time for the Halloween horror cash grab, and although it was exciting to be part of the ‘fan voted’ advance screening in Toronto, the movie doesn’t really make my cut. In the same spirit as the Oren Peli created Paranormal Activity, this movie relies on a variety of filmed footage to reveal the plight of a family being haunted by evil spirits.

If you’re a fan of the first 3 movies, this continues the story of Katie, Hunter and the bizarre coven. Minimal spoilers – the movie doesn’t rely very heavily on the original storyline.

I didn’t find this to be a scary or compelling horror movie, but Paranormal Activity 4 does have its moments for those seeking a fun “jump out of your seat” date night. Check out the trailer and more after the jump.

This latest instalment picks up 6 years after the disappearance of the previous films’ star Katie and her nephew Hunter. But none of these characters are particularly important to the story, other than drawing some connection to the other films. The main cast is a cheery family, focused on the 15 year old daughter Alex (Kathryn Newton) and her younger brother, Wyatt. Alex’s bickering parents and boyfriend Ben are also key players, but as the story unfolds the real main character turns out to be the family’s weird neighbour, Robbie.

Its not hard to guess what Robbie’s deal is, but I’ll keep the details to a minimum lest I ruin what little the movie has to offer by way of surprises. Robbie winds up coming to stay with the family when his mother falls ill, and strange things start happening.

You’ll have to forgive my lack of enthusiasm – I’ve talked at length about films sold on Peli’s former glory – but the movie isn’t just an escalation of scary moments caught on film. Using an unlikely combination of Apple products, and one awesome Microsoft product, Paranormal Activity 4 tries to stand out from its predecessors.

As spooky things start to happen to the family, Robbie and Wyatt begin to develop an eerie relationship that is cutting the rest of the family out. Concerned, Ben and Alex begin filming the two on camera and see that Robbie has brought something in to their house. Besides a lot of night vision and iPhone footage, there is neat use of the XBOX Kinect system to show paranormal activity. Having never looked at my XBOX array through night vision, I’d never seen the effect before!

There’s also some great depictions of dark entities, violently taking over and ‘rushing’ the camera. I wish they would just stick the the effective camera tricks, rather that try to show a huge variety of techniques… I guess are are limited to what can reasonably be captured on a camera.

Unfortunately, capturing things on camera never seems to help anyone in the P.A. franchise. No one believes Alex and despite her attempts to save her brother Wyatt, one day he suddenly and disturbingly tells her that his name is really ‘Hunter’ – not to be glib but without any undue spoilers, I think you can probably imagine how the story ends.

Fans of the franchise will be rewarded by some slight continuations in the Katie/Hunter storyline, but don’t expect too many answers… there’s plenty of room for a Paranormal Activity 5, 6, 7 and beyond. Let’s hope they try to scare us a little harder next time.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/20/saturday-at-the-movies-paranormal-activity-4/feed/4paranormal-activity-4-postercorrelationsRobbie-paranormalactivity4paranormal-activity-4-xboxparanormal-activity-431 Days of Horror – 28 Days Later vs 28 Weeks Laterhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/10/16/31-days-of-horror-28-days-later-vs-28-weeks-later/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/16/31-days-of-horror-28-days-later-vs-28-weeks-later/#respondTue, 16 Oct 2012 04:16:44 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=10804Some people just want to watch the world burn; the rest of us want to watch movies about the world burning. Our love for the horror genre reflects our obsession with our own demise, and not because we have a death wish – but rather because it offers an opportunity for triumph. The obsession with an impending zombie-pocalypse usually comes ripe with romantic notions of survival; but in reality, how far would you go to survive?

28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later try to take this question to heart, pushing the terror of a zombie-esque outbreak further than classics like Night of the Living/Dawn of the Dead. Not only are there stronger, faster, more vicious undead to contend with, but these contemporary movies also demonstrate the darker horrors of human survivalism.

It takes a little more to survive the “zombies” in these films. In both the 28/Later movies, a sinister ‘rage virus’ infects the undead and pairs super human strength with an insatiable lust for flesh. Born from a lab monkey that escapes, the first movie sets up a virus outbreak that has supposedly reached France and New York. Interestingly, the second film repeals this and limits the outbreak to Great Britain (or at least, Europe) almost as if to reel back the extent of the disaster, and ensure that there would be something left of the world after 28 weeks. These zombies are just that terrible.

Each of these films also shows starkly different ‘horrors’, thanks to their timing. 28 days after the outbreak, all communications, all power and most people in Britain are dead. Effectively cut off from the world, this dead zone initially allows the hero Jim to wander around, initially unaware of the danger. He and his friends enjoy decent mobility given the lack of authorities, and are free (for the most part) to pursue their own goals for survival. This ‘romantic’ apocalypse gives the heroes some control over their own survival.

However after 28 weeks, the US army has swept in to take command of the situation. Although both films present the same zombie disaster, it’s clear that there is no freedom after 28 weeks. At the mercy of the military safe zones, 15,000 citizens have been moved back in to a zombie-clear Britain but are essentially helpless as individuals. Hardly romantic, their survival is threatened by both the sinister potential of this control as well as the zombies themselves.

28 Days Later attempts to peer in to dark glimpses of survival, but romanticizes the situation. The necessity of killing to survive or to be kind is easily morally justifiable. Even vigilanteism and dominance over the weak, especially women, seems somewhat logical (if not defensible) in the name of survival. In the end, because this movie lets love and the will triumph over these darker elements, the first film really does a poor job of realizing the true horrific potential of this disaster.

28 Weeks Later does a much better job of bringing doom. Though missing the stylistic camera work and shocking zombie attacks of the first film, the second movie does a phenomenal job of raising the stakes. Framed around a man who abandoned his wife to the zombies during an attack only to learn she survived, his guilt winds up causing the demise of the 15,000 corralled civilians living under military law.

The movie is seeped in tension as the safety of the military zone is eroded away, first by a zombie infiltration, and then by the military’s own decision to fire bomb the entire area to prevent the outbreak from spreading. Further to this sinister measure, the zombie attacks themselves do a better job of showing the rage state of mind. As the rage virus takes hold of the protagonist, he rips out his wife’s throat with his teeth, pounds her face viciously with his hands, and drives his thumbs down in to her eye sockets – all while she is strapped helplessly to a gurney.

The fist-driven beatings that seem eerily conscious and therefore incredibly sinister. The graphic eye gouging is also a nice touch, and overall there is little question that 28 Weeks Later leaves a much more vicious impression. This does’t necessarily make it scarier, but the sense of primal rage evolves from animalistic hunger in the first film, to full blown sadistic evil in the second.

If only there was a smoother transition… the end of 28 Days Later drew tons of criticism when first released, as it presents a hopeful future with a needlessly sappy, happily ever after storyline. This is never picked up or mentioned again in the second film, which makes essentially no effort to tie back to the first other than the most basic plot elements.

I’m not entirely sure that it’s fair to compare the two films. 28 Days Later was directed by legendary Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Sunshine, Slumdog Millionaire) while 28 Weeks Later features a comparably unknown Juan Carlos Fresnadillo – a Spanish director, who is often accused of ‘Americanizing’ the franchise. They do consistently question the decisions made during a disaster and morality in moments of survival; and explore the terror of having to answer for such decisions.

This, when considered alongside the violent realism and graphic camera effects, cements both 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later as classic examples of contemporary horror and our obsession with survivalism.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/16/31-days-of-horror-28-days-later-vs-28-weeks-later/feed/028 days later eyecorrelations28 days later jim28 weeks later31 Days of Horror – Evil Dead vs Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawnhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/10/12/31-days-of-horror-evil-dead-vs-evil-dead-2-dead-by-dawn/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/12/31-days-of-horror-evil-dead-vs-evil-dead-2-dead-by-dawn/#commentsFri, 12 Oct 2012 04:00:48 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=10677Evil Dead and Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn loom far too large in my horror cinephile mind for any sort of casual blog treatment. Nonetheless, I will attempt to make a brief case for the ingenious awesomeness of the Sam Raimi classics bearing the Evil Dead name.

Working from the most banal of scary movie plots, a trip to a cabin that goes demonically wrong, Raimi crafts a franchise that would go on to spawn a true sequel and perhaps the greatest horror hero of all time: Ash Williams.

From this purposefully trite storyline comes both a unique hero and an odd pair of films; resulting in a struggle between the two Evil Dead films to reconcile their genre gap. The original 1981 film is a more traditional horror/suspense film, making a sincere effort to deliver a jump out of your seat experience.

However Evil Dead II “ain’t no freaking sequel” and instead steps up as a horror comedy. It also features the inception of Ash, played by Bruce Campbell, as not only a survivor but a hero.

Rather than bore you with an exhaustive review of each film, and since each are worth watching on their own and in their own merit, I will simply list a few of the reasons why each Evil Dead instalment stands out.

Evil Dead

gritty old school camera work

young Bruce Campbell

unnecessarily polite dialogue

old school stop motion and killer make up/effects

tree rape

a dark ending.

Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn

creative and energetic camera work

crazy Bruce Campbell

unnecessarily awesome dialogue (including the birth of ‘chainsaw’ and ‘groovy’)

unnecessarily large amounts of blood

tree rape reprise

a totally unexpected ending.

The differences between the two Evil Dead films are especially jarring if you watch them back to back, so many still confuse Evil Dead II for a remake. In fact, Raimi could not obtain the rights to show scenes from the original Evil Dead, so they recreated some of the beginning to explain how Ash got to the cabin. Given the completely different tonality of the films, it does seem as though Raimi was doing a second take. However Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn is a true sequel and segue into the third (and massively more successful) movie: Army of Darkness – but that’s a movie for another discussion.

What’s most interesting about these films is just how much people love them. Nevermind movie screenings; I’ve been to the musical to witness the fandom first hand. I mean, people REALLY love this movie! Even Stephen King was so much a fan of the original, that he played a hand in convincing Dino De Laurentis to finance Evil Dead II.

I personally consider the Evil Dead movies to be among the most memorable horror films of my youth because of what they stand for: a testament to the film student turned director, to simple yet effective camera treatments and to the potency of skilled acting.

Evil Dead and Evil Dead II are also charming and confusing chapters of twice re-written demonic possession that have spawned video games, toys, musicals, a third movie, and just to make things more confusing – a true Evil Dead remake in 2013.

But be sure to check out the originals first!

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/12/31-days-of-horror-evil-dead-vs-evil-dead-2-dead-by-dawn/feed/1evil-dead-2-ashcorrelationsevil-dead-ashevil-dead-zombieevil-dead-ash-tattooThe Walking Dead: Cold Storagehttps://biffbampop.com/2012/10/02/the-walking-dead-cold-storage/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/02/the-walking-dead-cold-storage/#commentsTue, 02 Oct 2012 13:05:24 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=10490The Walking Dead is slated to return October 14th, 2012 and while the franchise has pumped out a ton of social media and web promos, they finally put out something I wanted to see. Cold Storage is a 4 part series of webisodes, helping to add some depth of the world of The Walking Dead with help from makeup/effects artist Greg Nicotero.

Though it doesn’t pack the plot-shifting punch of the BSG webisodes, it does help whet the apetite for some walker carnage!

Link to watch all 4 parts of The Walking Dead: Cold Storage after the jump, and please — tell me what you think happens at the end? I’d be interested to know.

Ok well, the original youtube videos were pulled and unfortunately, AMC isn’t being friendly with embed codes… BUT you can watch all 4 webisodes right here. Enjoy!

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/10/02/the-walking-dead-cold-storage/feed/2thewalkingdead-coldstoragecorrelationsWin Tickets to Queen’s Hungarian Rhapsody – Live in Budapesthttps://biffbampop.com/2012/09/18/win-tickets-to-queens-hungarian-rhapsody-live-in-budapest/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/09/18/win-tickets-to-queens-hungarian-rhapsody-live-in-budapest/#commentsTue, 18 Sep 2012 13:26:15 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=10222Queen is an act that transcends time and bridges the gap between mine and my parents’ generation… and if there is one artist I regret never getting to see, it’s the legendary Freddie Mercury.

But thanks to Cineplex and Eagle Rock Entertainment, the Hungarian stop on the 1986 Magic Tour is being brought back to life in theatres this fall.

Even better, we’ve got a contest!

You can win two tickets to a special screening of Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live in Budapest this Thursday, September 20, 2012, at the Scotiabank Theatre, Toronto at 7:30 p.m.

How to Win:

Simply leave a comment below, or tweet a message that includes @BiffBamPop and #QueenLive and you’ll be entered to win!

We will pick one winner at 12:01am on September 20th, 2012 and their name will be provided to the theatre box office guestlist +1 for the 7:30pm show.

For those who don’t win, Eagle Rock Entertainment plans a home release of Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live in Budapest on November 6, 2012.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/09/18/win-tickets-to-queens-hungarian-rhapsody-live-in-budapest/feed/2freddie mercurycorrelationsSaturday at the Movies: Billy Madison and 10 Reasons to Go Back to Schoolhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/09/01/saturday-at-the-movies-billy-madison-and-10-reasons-to-go-back-to-school/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/09/01/saturday-at-the-movies-billy-madison-and-10-reasons-to-go-back-to-school/#commentsSat, 01 Sep 2012 13:00:19 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=9974Back to school, back to school… it’s that time of year again; and to celebrate, this instalment of Saturday at the Movies is dedicated to one of my favourite ‘Back to School’ movies: Billy Madison.

If you’re not familiar with this movie, well.. what’s WRONG with you? I think there is actually a generational gap when it comes to Adam Sandler movies… because starting in about 2000 his films just started to suck; and not in the charming way his fans were used to. Billy Madison is probably his best typecast role and besides having some of the most memorable one-liners of all Sandler’s movies, it ALSO offers some great reasons to get excited about heading back to class.

And so, in today’s Saturday at the Movies…

Billy Madison’s Top 10 Reasons to Go Back to School

10. Prove to Dad you’re not a fool… because he refuses to let you run his company unless you go back to school and re-do grades K through 12. Also there’s a dick named Eric who wants to usurp your place with the company. No delicious triscuits for you, Eric!

9. That goddamn penguin; you don’t wanna have to deal with him every nudie magazine day.

6. Learn which is better: shampoo or conditioner. Plus that swan will stop looking at you.

5. Snack Packs!

4. When it comes to O’Doyle, karma rules.

3. You’ll learn synonyms for shit… like poop.

2. You won’t have to stay home and help the maid shave her arm pits.

1. It could be OUR milk.

Billy Madison also features Chris Farley, Norm MacDonald and Steve Buscemi – as if you needed any other reasons to check this movie out.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/09/01/saturday-at-the-movies-billy-madison-and-10-reasons-to-go-back-to-school/feed/1Billy MadisoncorrelationsFan Expo Canada 2012 Previewhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/08/23/fan-expo-canada-2012-preview/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/08/23/fan-expo-canada-2012-preview/#respondThu, 23 Aug 2012 13:00:41 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=9811Fan Expo 2012 is about to hit Toronto and for the weekend of August 23-26th, nerds will rule. This marks the 18th year of Fan Expo and probably the 3 or 4th time I’ve attended… going to comics, sci fi, horror, anime, gaming conferences steels you against the extremes of fandom.

I expect this to be another crazy, cosplay filled, celebrity spotting type of conference; certainly nothing out of the ordinary for Fan Expo.

For a quick look at what’s in store and schedule hilights, read on.

One of the main reasons Fan Expo has become so popular is its ability to attract a celebrity presence. This year’s guest line up includes the mandatory appearances by Stan Lee, some Star Trek actors, John Carpenter, a ton of folks from The Walking Dead, and even a live Jay & Silent Bob Get Old SModcast on Friday night.

There are also a host of signings from various actors and comic book artists; I’m going to leave the comics coverage to our editor Andy and expert JP.

As the resident cartoon fanatic however, it is my duty to inform everyone that Billy West will be at Fan Expo 2012 and broadcasting a live llusionoid podcast on Saturday night! The full Anime schedule is also jam packed with what are likely obscure celebrities… including local voice actor Jason Deline! If you want to see one thing that is guaranteed to be awesome, seek out the many ‘live anime’ stage performances. It’ll either shock or delight you; or both.

Perhaps most importantly, don’t forget to bring your spending money. There’s always a ton of exclusive artwork and merchandise for sale, and you can often barter on the Expo floor. One item/artist I’m particular in finding, is the J. Scott Campbell 50 years of Spiderman Tribute… he’s got one of my favourite aesthetics AND he’ll be doing a few signings at the show.

It’s virtually impossible to run down the full schedule, but feel free to review it here and plan out your awesome nerdonomical weekend. As Fan Expo kicks off tonight I’ll be checking out the floor and the offering… not to mention the swarms of intricately decorated cosplayers who are bound to show up. Can’t wait to see what this year’s Fan Expo brings!

Starring Samuel L. Jackson and Luke Wilson, MEETING EVIL is one of the latest horror releases from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment to offer an intense thrill-ride. In a classic story of a good samaritan (Wilson) who falls prey to a psychotic stranger (Jackson), MEETING EVIL stands out with high intensity situations and twisted storyline.

The DVD cover also has a particularly bad ass picture of Jackson on the cover… and it could be YOURS!

Check out the trailer and enter to win one of three (3) copies of MEETING EVIL on DVD after the jump!

HOW TO WIN 1 of 3 copies of MEETING EVIL on DVD:

1) In the comments below, tell us your favourite EVIL character from any horror film below (especially if it’s Samuel L. Jackson

We will draw 3 winners from all entries received by Wednesday August 22nd, 2012 MIDNIGHT ET to win their very own copy of MEETING EVIL on DVD – Good luck!

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/08/20/contest-to-win-meeting-evil-on-dvd/feed/0meeting evil dvdcorrelationsBIFF BAM POP! ANNOUNCES SEPTEMBER RELEASE FOR STRANGE WORLD SHORT STORY ANTHOLOGYhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/08/07/biff-bam-pop-announces-september-release-for-strange-world-short-story-anthology/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/08/07/biff-bam-pop-announces-september-release-for-strange-world-short-story-anthology/#commentsTue, 07 Aug 2012 12:30:10 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=9611eBook anthology to be released in the fall, featuring 13 unique horror, thriller and suspense stories, plus an intro by New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry.

August 7, 2012, Toronto, ON – BIFF BAM POP! has announced a tentative September 2012 release date for the inaugural horror, thriller and suspense project, Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short Story Anthology. The collection will be released in eBook format with an introduction from horror icon Jonathan Maberry.

The book will include 13 “imagination altering” short stories, all sourced from the BIFF BAM POP! community of writers and readers. With the success of last year’s Biff Bam Boo comics collection, the team behind the BIFF BAM POP! culture outlet expect to find an even bigger audience with the Strange World anthology.

Featuring an introduction by multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry, Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short Story Anthology will also include the following authors and their stories:

Tentatively scheduled for September 2012 release, Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short Story Anthology will be published in eBook format and will be available through all regular outlets, as well as BiffBamPop.com.

Author Bios: Strange World: A Biff Bam Pop Short Story Anthology

J.G. Chayko: J.G Chayko is a writer who resides in Vancouver B.C. She is a poet at heart, but also enjoys writing prose, fiction and creative non-fiction. One of her creative non-fiction pieces was published in the literary magazine Canadian Stories. In addition to working on a novel, she is collaborating on a screenplay and developing a blog.

Lucas Mangum: Lucas Mangum is a writer, event coordinator, and host of the Awesome Reading Fest. His fiction has appeared in Death Head Grin, on the website MicroHorror.com, and his short story Goblins is available on Smashwords as an ebook. Read his blog, The Dark Dimensions or follow him on Twitter @LMangumFiction. His column, Lucas Mangum’s Horror Corner, is run weekly at the website Cinedelphia.com. He lives in Bucks County, PA with his wife and cat.

André Narbonne: André Narbonne is a former chair of the BS Poetry Society (Halifax), and his poetry and prose have appeared in The Antigonish Review, Contemporary Verse 2, Queen’s Quarterly, Rampike, The Windsor Review, and Best Canadian Stories (Oberon Press). André writing has won national and regional prizes including the FreeFall prose contest in 2011. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario, with Aeriana, Schrödinger, Helena, and Cordelia—two of whom are cats.

Jim Morris: Jim Morris is a writer with credits including produced television episodes of “Smallville,” “Crossing Jordan, “The 4400,” and “The Dead Zone.” He is currently at work on a novel and lives in Los Angeles with his wife and dog.

Ken Haigh: Ken Haigh is a graduate of Queen’s University and the University of Western Ontario, where he studied English literature, education and library science. He has worked as a teacher in Bhutan, China, and the Canadian Arctic. His first book, Under the Holy Lake: A Memoir of Eastern Bhutan, was published by the University of Alberta Press in 2008. This memoir was also issued as an e-book by KOBO and will soon come out in an Indian edition. Ken has published short stories, poetry, and magazine articles. He is a member of the Writers’ Union of Canada and was the recipient of an Ontario Arts Council grant in 2011. He is currently working on a novel about a group of feuding Canadian missionaries who get caught up in the Boxer Rebellion in China.

Anne Michaud: Anne Michaud writes in a dungeon full of books and the occasional ghost, south of Montreal, Canada. She also blogs her musings and little obsessions at annecmichaud.wordpress.com.

Kayla Tyson: Kayla Tyson is a student at the University of South Florida. She performs improvisational comedy at Sak Comedy Lab in Orlando, Florida and works at Universal Studios as an actor. She has been writing ever since she was a child when she thought the typewriter was just a fun toy that her parents had.

Andrew Burns: Andrew Burns is the Editor-In-Chief of the pop culture website Biff Bam Pop! He cites Stephen King, Joss Whedon, Chris Claremont and Bret Easton Ellis as a few of his literary influences. His work has appeared in various WWE publications, The Toronto Sun and he was a contributing pop culture expert in Wanted Undead or Alive by Jonathan Maberry. Andrew lives in Toronto with his wife Jovanna and his Beach Boys and Rob Zombie loving daughter Anya.

Jason Shayer: Jason Shayer’s love of dark fiction has given more than a few people a reason to raise an eyebrow, most often his wife. When he’s not writing or reading, he’s teaching his kids the basic survival skills to prepare for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.
He’s also a comic book historian and regular contributor to Back Issue! magazine, a comic book magazine spotlighting the 1970s and 1980s. You can usually find him waxing nostalgically about the comics books of the 1980s at his blog, marvel1980s.blogspot.com.

Ian Rogers: Ian Rogers is a writer, artist, and photographer. His short fiction has appeared in several publications, including Cemetery Dance, Supernatural Tales, and Shadows & Tall Trees. He is the author of the dark fiction collection Every House Is Haunted (ChiZine Publications) and SuperNOIRtural Tales (Burning Effigy Press), a series of stories featuring supernatural detective Felix Renn. Ian lives with his wife in Peterborough, Ontario. For more information, visit ianrogers.ca.

David Ward: David Ward is a human. Sort of. He makes books for a living, and he spends his time reading everything he can lay his hands on, sometimes (but not often enough) writing, occasionally illustrating, and rolling d20s to strike. He lives in Toronto. He can be found at @davidsward.

—

About BIFF BAM POP!
Established in August 2008, BIFF BAM POP! is a website devoted to the world of pop culture, from comic books and video games, to movies, books, and music. For additional information, visit www.biffbampop.com.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/08/07/biff-bam-pop-announces-september-release-for-strange-world-short-story-anthology/feed/6Biff Bam Pop LogocorrelationsSaturday at the Movies: ParaNormanhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/08/04/saturday-at-the-movies-paranorman/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/08/04/saturday-at-the-movies-paranorman/#commentsSat, 04 Aug 2012 15:34:41 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=9586ParaNorman is the latest gem from Lalka Entertainment, best known for Corpse Bride and Coraline. Using many of the same stunning stop-motion filming techniques, Chris Butler makes his directorial debut with this endearing film about a misunderstood kid and his supernatural abilities.

I recently saw ParaNorman in 3-D and can pretty much guarantee you’ll love this flick, regardless of age; if not for the characters then for the AMAZING eyeball feast of animation.

Check out the trailer below and a wicked “making of” featurette after the jump!

ParaNorman may seem a little cliché on the surface… Norman is a kid who is not only obsessed with the supernatural, but experiences it every day – he can see and talk to ghosts. But before you decide you’ve ‘heard that one before’, you have to get to know the characters and the film’s unique anti-bullying and (yes!) pro-gay messages. What could have been a superficially trite story is brought to life thanks to a handful of awesome voice actors including Jeff Garlin and Anna Kendrick.

My favourite is definitely the co-star Tucker Albrizzi who voices Norman’s newly found fat kid friend, Neil. But as in all great animated movies, it’s the visualization that really makes these characters shine.

I doubt any description of this movie’s animation is going to do it justice, but ParaNorman has one of the creepiest and most memorable animation sequences I’ve seen recently. Modeled heavily after Coraline, the angry ‘witch’ that Norman must face in the final scene is an incredible, mind-blowing rendition created using stop-motion models and CGI. It borders on being too scary (or perhaps just too fast-moving and realistically violent) but it is absolutely kid friendly and boldly brings the tormented spirit to life. You can see a little of how much work goes in to this type of animation in this featurette:

ParaNorman isn’t going to surprise you in terms of its basic story line, but that’s not to say there aren’t a LOT of surprises in this film. The creative zombie paraphernalia that Norman collects, the awesome depictions of walking undead and the rewarding horror movie throwbacks all serve to make this a really stand out flick in my books. Out in theatres on August 17, 2012 this gets an enthusiastic 3 dismembered thumbs up.

First up, thanks to Futurama for returning to near-true form in last week’s ‘The Butterjunk Effect”. Yes, a ridiculous plot about roller derbies; but all great episodes are founded on a stupid premise. Plus Amy and Leela kiss Fry, which as good a premise as any. Besides half-nude cartoon action, this episode is packed with zingy one-liners and sweet animation like caterpillar-Fry.

This week also brought news of a SIXTH season of Robot Chicken… the show that made us all ask WHY. WHY didn’t I make a career out of playing with toys in stop motion?? It still blows my mind that this show has persevered (thank you Seth Green/MacFarlane) but lo and behold, creators Tom Root and Matt Seinreich discuss season 6 after the jump!

In a recent interview on Geektyrant and at SDCC 2012, Robot Chicken creators chatted up their DC Comics special and the new episodes coming this year…

Another show I’m a little surprised is still around, Squidbillies is going in to its SEVENTH season! From David Willis (Aqua Teen) and Jim Fortier (The Brak Show) you can expect nothing more logical than a family of hillbilly squid creatures. I’ve never gotten in to it myself, but I did notice Season 6 come out on DVD last week so the show’s obviously got an audience.

Shows like Space Ghost, Brak Show and Aqua Teen thrive thanks to loyal fans… last week’s Aqua (something, you know, whatever.) really tested its audience by doing an episode entirely in crayon drawings. As much as this sounds annoying, it worked incredibly well; thanks in part to a suitable storyline. And thanks to the interwebs, you don’t have to take my word for it:

It’s always great to see shows using new animation styles to support their stories, rather than trick them out in kitsch like a gaudy whore (cough, The Simpsons, Family Guy) …speaking of which, in my next Cartoon Cuts I’ll look at the Matt Groening / Seth MacFarlane line up for the fall! Also… when the heck does South Park come back? Not soon enough.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/07/24/corinas-cartoon-cuts-robot-chicken-season-6-and-more/feed/1Futurama Butterjunk EffectcorrelationsFuturama Butterjunk EffectCorina’s Cartoon Cuts: Futurama Flops, Aqua Teen Accoladeshttps://biffbampop.com/2012/07/14/corinas-cartoon-cuts-futurama-aqua-teen/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/07/14/corinas-cartoon-cuts-futurama-aqua-teen/#commentsSat, 14 Jul 2012 15:51:38 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=9277Cartoon Cuts returns for a Saturday Morning session – remember Saturday morning cartoons? I used to jump out of bed to catch the AM animation offering; somehow that passion has waned with the accessibility of episodes online. However, here I am on a Saturday morn, ready to share the latest episodes from Futurama and Aqua Teen.

Normally I’d just be recapping the episodes and chiming in with a few small quips; however today, I have two episodes that I actually recommend – strongly! The rest, yeah I’ve just glossed over. But it’s nice to see two of my favourite animated series return to (almost) true form. Check out my Futurama selection, and a full episode of Aqua Teen (featuring Josh Homme & Mastadon) after the jump!

Futurama S7

E3: Decision 3012

Made with 100% recycled pixels, this episode rehashes most of the American Election exploits over the last oh, 4 years? As a Canadian, I really can’t laugh enough about this subject, so even though it seemed like a tired topic I did have some viewing enthusiasm. As it turns out, the writers slipped in a delicious little time travel paradox that served to remind me why Futurama is such a stand out series; thank goodness, because if you watch the next few episodes you’ll start to forget

As usual, we start with Bender is on a beer binge; surprisingly, Nixon’s buying as part of his 3012 re-election campaign in the Earth Presidential race. While he promises a severely closed immigrant policy and plans to build the solar system border fence, the crowd cheers over tax cuts for the rich and repurposing of poor in to aquarium gravel. As horrible as this sounds, Nixon has everyone – including Fry’s – support.

Outraged, Leela decides to seek out a better candidate and finds the immaculate Chris Travers; a clean cut, rationally minded senator who hopes to run against Nixon (if he can win the nomination). And he does, thanks to his new campaign manager, Leela (….and the runner up, if the nominee is caught with a dead girl, a live guy, or any kind of sexy ghost… Greenland!)

Given Travers’ polished campaign platform, Nixon’s only option is to hire Bender to dig up some dirt the rival candidate. When Bender comes up clean, Nixon decides the best idea is to spread a rumour that the senator wasn’t born on Earth. Sound familiar?

The “Earther” movement (haha) demands to see Travers’ Earth certificate, and although he swears he was born in Kenya, he also doesn’t want to bow to pressure. Leela decides to clear his name by obtaining the certificate herself; but when she goes looking she discovers that Chris Travers doesn’t have an Earth certificate… because he hasn’t been born yet.

Ka-CHUNG. Finally, Futurama gets back to what it’s good at – messing with our temporal logic! It turns out that, using the time code (familiar to all Futurama fans) Travers came back in time to prevent Nixon from destroying the world. He figured, if he could get elected then Nixon would never have the chance. Leela sees this revelation as an amazing opportunity to clinch the election — by airing Travers’ birth LIVE on Television, and destroying the Earther movement once and for all.

What I like about this episode is Futurama’s loyalty to time logic… If you’re good with linear time travel (or Terminator time logic?) you may have already figured out the flaw in Travers’ plan; if not, you’ll just have to watch the show. I’ll only say this, Decision 3012 has enough quick humour and political satire to carry the episode; and the time twist just makes it a great pick from this season so far.

E4: The Theif of Baghead

Unfortunately, the next few episodes seem to struggle to tie themselves together. In E4, Bender decides to try his hand at photography and lands a job as a paparazzo in Hollywood. Stalking Calculon seems fun, until Bender finds a new challenge; photographing Langdon Cobb, the world famous actor whose face has never been seen. As it turns out, the actor isn’t just incredibly private – he has a terrible, soul-sucking secret that Bender unleashes when he finally captures Cobb’s photo.

The only thing I liked about this episode? The animated soul sucking… but at one point the show employs some cheap CGI that was SO poorly conceived and/or executed, that I recommend skipping the episode altogether.

E5: Zapp Dingbat

When I heard Zapp would be featured in an episode, I had high expectations. But even if they’d been tempered, nothing could have prepared me for this flop of an episode. Leela’s parents suffer an impromptu divorce, which clears the way for Zapp Brannigan to woo Leela’s mother, Turanga Munda. Of course, Leela wants to put a stop to the relationship, leading to a confused plot line that sees Leelas parents back together in the end. Hardly any funny jokes, nothing noteworthy.. again, sadly skip-able.

Let’s hope for better from Futurama next week…

On the OTHER hand… Aqua Teen you know WHATEVER’s 9th season is humming along quite well. With a bit of a lull in a Meatwad-heavy E2: Chicken and Beans (yeah it was as bad as it sounds… although some funny musician humour to be found,) the 3rd Episode is probably one of my all-time favourites from the show… EVER.

In E3: Shirt Herpes, the show has just one question for viewers:

Would you rather die, or be raped every night by a giant octopus?

And believe me, Daniel Tosh has shown me that rape jokes can be funny.

But better watch before you decide:

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/07/14/corinas-cartoon-cuts-futurama-aqua-teen/feed/1Aqua Teen Shirt HerpescorrelationsFuturama Decision 3012Futurama Decision 3012Futurama Thief of BagheadFuturama Zapp DingbatAqua Teen Josh Homme MastadonWIN Comic-Con and The Business of Pop Culturehttps://biffbampop.com/2012/07/10/win-comic-con-and-the-business-of-pop-culture/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/07/10/win-comic-con-and-the-business-of-pop-culture/#commentsTue, 10 Jul 2012 16:21:23 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=9179Comic-Con 2012 is about to begin and just because you’re not there doesn’t mean you can’t win some swag!

Biff Bam Pop! has FIVE (5) copies of the AWESOME book Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture by Rob Salkowitz to give away from McGraw-Hill.

Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culture in an awesome look at the frontiers of digital distribution, the adoption of new comic platforms, and the movie industry’s reliance on comic books; revealing just how pop “nerd” culture fuels BIG business. Salkowitz offers an insightful look at the shifting digital culture and its impact on our generation, with Comic-Con as the shining beacon of the comic industry.

So if you’re lamenting your absence from one of the greatest comic book events this year, dry those eyes, dust off your cosplay and get ready to WIN!

HOW TO WIN a copy of Comic-Con and the Business of Pop Culturefor yourself (REVISED)

1) Leave a comment below that shows us your pop or nerd pride… this can be just about anything, as long as it shows your love for pop / nerd culture!

3) Each unique comment will be considered as one entry! Get creative, we’re picking our favourites

We will choose 5 winners from all entries received before 11:59pm ET this Saturday July 14th, 2012 to each win their very own copy of Comic-Con and The Business of Pop Culture. Winners will be posted on Biff Bam Pop! on Sunday July 15th, 2012.

Good luck!

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/07/10/win-comic-con-and-the-business-of-pop-culture/feed/3comiccon2012correlationsComic-Con and the Business of Pop CulturecosplayfunnyComic-Con and the Business of Pop CultureCorina’s Cartoon Cuts: Futurama AND Aqua Teen Hunger Force Returnhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/06/29/corinas-cartoon-cuts-futurama-and-aqua-teen-hunger-force-return/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/29/corinas-cartoon-cuts-futurama-and-aqua-teen-hunger-force-return/#commentsFri, 29 Jun 2012 13:42:44 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=9027It’s been awhile since the last Cartoon Cuts, mainly because the volume of references in South Park episodes can be hard to sum up. However, my love for animation is urging me to get going again with the return of Futurama and Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

Futurama is a show that parallels Family Guy in its cycle of being cancelled and then re-instated by the networks. We all feared Futurama was over around 2009 when the voice cast couldn’t reach a contract agreement with Fox, but later that same year fans were promised an ‘up to 26 episode’ new sixth season. Ironically, Futurama’s return in June 2010 “helped the network to its highest-rated night.. and its highest-rated Thursday primetime in the network’s history.” Supply and demand, baby. Despite the relative ‘meh’ value of the last season, 26 new episodes have just started rolling out, and are scheduled to air on Comedy Central through 2013.

Aqua Teen Hunger Force is a crazy show that has survived both terrible movie and boring video game adaptations, and doesn’t seem to care at all about consistency or character logic. It retitled itself Aqua Unit Patrol Squad for no good reason in 2011, and again as Aqua Something You Know Whatever in 2012. But that’s really the charm of this show; it’s a unique irreverent oddity, and it’s heading in to an incredible 9th season. I check out the first episodes (with minimal spoilers) after the jump…

Futurama: Season 7

Episode 1: The Bots and The Bees

Bender falls in lust with a vending machine named Bev (voiced by Wanda Sykes) brought in to serve the Planet Express employees. However, the convenience of drinking Slurm causes Fry some unusual health issues; while Bender has a little ‘problem’ of his own – he learns that he’s fathered Bev’s son. He names his son Ben, who wants nothing more than to be like his Dad; but sadly little Ben didn’t inherit Bender’s bending abilities. This makes for a mushy first episode, sidelined by Fry’s Slurm-induced glow. Not a great episode to kick off the season, but Bender is a popular character and the little bot is pretty cute. The slick cgi was missing from this episode, among other things. Why start the season this way? Maybe because episode 2 aired with it…

Episode 2: Farewell to Arms

Interesting: this is the 116th episode of Futurama… and with it we get the cool cgi and the classic mind-bending animation perspectives that Futurama is known for. This episode shifts focus back to Fry and Leela’s tenuous relationship, and the much stronger bond Fry has with his lucky (and only!) pants. Chasing after said pants, the Planet Express team discovers an ancient Mayan Martian temple. Amy discovers a prophecy about a solar flare and the end of the world, which sets off a massive exodus to Mars for those lucky enough to make the cut. Fans will be rewarded with some cool angles as cgi is called upon to help world’s literally collide in this episode. There’s also a romantic ending with some cute, weird moments like little limbs in a deep fry basket. But I don’t like Leela’s general regression; by now, she and Fry should have a semi-normal relationship, right? This blogger seems to agree and maybe I just really like Fry, but the ongoing tension makes Leela seem bitchy beyond repair sometimes. We’ll see what the future holds for their relationship in as the season continues.

Aqua Something You Know Whatever: Season 9

Ok look, if you don’t like this show I’m not going to convince you to watch it. But I want to preface this episode summary with this: I thought this show was a waste of matter, time and space; until I sat down and actually watched a few episodes. It demands an attention span that most can’t muster; I think that’s why the shows are so short. But it is gloriously unique and really pretty damn clever sometimes; it’s also really random and I’m not sure any summary will do the show justice… but let’s see.

Episode 1: Big Bro

Frylock joins the Big Brother program and soon Carl wants in; so he can have a chance with the little brother’s Mom. There’s no denying the two would probably click – they look like they could be related, or at least shop at the same crapmart. Frylock does his best to get his groove on with the lady, but he’s a box of french fries so, come on. Carl seems to be having a good time, until he learns that the lady’s knocked up. Luckily, when he comes to the Aqua Teens for help they have a few ideas to help him disappear…

You know what? Why don’t you just watch the episode:

Gotta love the internet. The beginning of the show changes with the name, so this new introduction – mexican themed? – was somehow psychotically designed to go with the title Aqua Teen Something You Know Whatever… I love it! I’ll be back with more Cartoon Cuts next week, and depending on how you receive this one maybe I’ll bring in some more weird animated “gems”. For now, you can catch Aqua Teen Mondays at 11:59pm and Futurama Wednesdays at 10pm on Comedy Central (et).

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/29/corinas-cartoon-cuts-futurama-and-aqua-teen-hunger-force-return/feed/1farewell to arms futuramacorrelationsfuturama Season 7bots and bees futuramaaqua teen hunger forceSaturday at the Movies: Wanderlusthttps://biffbampop.com/2012/06/23/saturday-at-the-movies-wanderlust/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/23/saturday-at-the-movies-wanderlust/#respondSat, 23 Jun 2012 15:27:03 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=8890Wanderlust is a comedy that slid under the radar and right through to video… which is only surprising because of the star-studded cast it brings to the table.

I, too have a bit of wanderlust; but as this hit and miss comedy demonstrates, being a carefree hippy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

George and Linda are a sophisticated Manhattan couple who are down on their luck, bigtime. Having just bought a microloft studio apartment, George is horrified to find that he’s been laid off and can no longer afford the expensive Manhattan lifestyle he and Linda have always wanted. Linda is in no better shape, having had her Penguins with Testicular Cancer documentary rejected by HBO. So the two are forced to cut their losses and move to Hot-lanta, with George’s obnoxious younger brother.

Tired, angry and hopeless, they happen stumble upon a hippy commune named Elysium that changes George’s outlook. The weed probably helped, but meeting a group of carefree spirits including the unofficial leader Seth seems to renew George’s passion for life. Linda is less enthused, but when Seth invites them to stay she and George decide to ‘suck on it’ for awhile.

So they do, in Atlanta; but Linda begins drinking heavily to deal with their situation, and George can’t stand his brother’s condescending attitude. It doesn’t take long for the couple to reconsider the Elysium life…

We’ve all had that desire to run away and escape the real world, give it all up and live off the grid. Elysium promises just that; a 1971 hippy commune where doors are bullshit. Linda feels they are just running way from life, but George convinces her that they should stay two weeks to give it a chance; and why not? They don’t have to chug the koolaid, just take a sip.

Unfortunately, the philosophical kool-aid is soon replaced with iowaska – which apparently smells like Willy Nelson’s braids. This brings Linda way out of her shell, and while George is slowly becoming aware of the fantasy he’s living, Linda is starting to buy in. It doesn’t help that Seth is clearly interested in getting some free love out of the deal, but since it was George’s idea to stay he has little choice but to play along with the peaceniks.

But the peace is soon shattered when a casino development project threatens to kick the hippies off their land. Since their senior member, The Lion (Alan Alda) can’t remember where he put the deed, it seems like Elysium is doomed. However they are saved when Linda, caught up in the ‘wanderlust’ of the moment, leads a topless protest to block the construction trucks. This cements her place among the hippies, and brings her and Seth even closer together.

In the meantime, George gets a lead on a job in the city. He also misses meat, airconditioning, and the ability to shut a door. But what really drives him over the edge is his attempt to take advantage of the open sexual philosophy of Elysium. As it turns out, he just can’t bring himself to do it – it’s actually one of the most disturbing/funny things I’ve seen Paul Rudd do; kinda slappa-da-bass-esque. But when Linda and Seth hook up, it’s more than George can handle. Snapping, he leaves Elysium and Linda behind.

Without blowing the ending, it turns out Seth isn’t all he’s cracked up to be – and it’s up to George to return and save the day, and save Linda from ruining her life. The ending is a bit of a letdown, as are most comedy ‘wrap ups’, but there are a couple funny outtakes during the credits. I liked Wanderlust because I’m a huge fan of Children’s Hospital and Reno 911, and it’s almost a shame that this movie didn’t do better… there’s an especially hilarious, ultra slow motion, old naked people running in fear scene that just frames the weirdness of the movie perfectly.

It’s awkward and funny, a good poke at hippies, and written and directed by David Wain! If that isn’t reason enough to check it out, I don’t know what is.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/23/saturday-at-the-movies-wanderlust/feed/0wanderlust movie postercorrelationswanderlust justin therouxwanderlust hippieswanderlust paul ruddwanderlust hippywanderlust movieZombie Attack Prank is AWESOMEhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/06/21/zombie-attack-prank-is-awesome/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/21/zombie-attack-prank-is-awesome/#commentsThu, 21 Jun 2012 04:00:23 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=8861Zombies have been featured in the news lately thanks to a couple of bizarre, flesh-eating attacks taking place within a fairly short period of time. Then of course there’s the body parts being shipped in care packages around Canada. Most of have made light of the situation, and some of us might even enjoy the idea of being tested in a Walking Dead scenario…

And then there’s THIS guy. Real prank, real reactions and a real gun at about 2:00 in:

Crazy Russian Vitaly ZD was featured on Tosh.0 this week, and hands down this is the CRAZIEST prank I have ever seen pulled off. Wanna learn more about how it was done? Read on…

If you happened to catch Daniel Tosh’s piece on Vitaly, you’ll know that he’s just a good natured guy with a great sense of humour and a real taste for the spotlight. Chasing people around dressed up as a zombie, in light of the recent incidents, is funny enough.. but what really killed me was his explanation of why all the prank targets seemed to be black.

Paraphrasing, basically he did try the prank on white people, but no one ran. And yet when black people were targeted, they had an almost instant and hilarious reaction. Hey, it’s not racist if it’s true… or is it? Despite some of the offense the prank has caused, it’s 100% awesome in my books. It’s no more racist than that Leprechaun video or the hide your kids/wife guy – right?

This prank really took some balls, and not just because the editing isn’t ‘PC’ – that’s a real gun drawn at about 2:00 in to the original video. The first thing I thought was that he’d get shot or beat up; but as explained in the Tosh interview, even the mob who seems to attack the prankster wound up laughing with him once he revealed the prank.

Take a look at Vitaly’s ‘behind the scenes’ to learn more:

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/21/zombie-attack-prank-is-awesome/feed/2zombie facecorrelationsPrometheus Avenges Alien Franchisehttps://biffbampop.com/2012/06/18/prometheus/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/18/prometheus/#commentsMon, 18 Jun 2012 14:25:22 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=8790Prometheus has been in theatres for a few weeks now, which hopefully means I’m safe to write this without blowing any secrets or surprises. If you’ve been waiting to see the movie, I understand your delay. Despite being a massive fan of H.R. Giger and most of the Alien franchise, I waited for the crowds to thin and secured some mind-shatteringly awesome seats in the 3D Ultra AVX theatre before seeing the film.

Although Prometheus suffered from some plot issues, I can confidently say that not only has H.R. Giger’s original design been rightly glorified, but Ridley Scott has gotten his proper revenge.

Not sure what the hell I’m talking about? Well, there’s a little more to Prometheus than meets the eye…

For the most part, appreciation of Prometheus doesn’t require any hardcore insider Alien knowledge. The story is set in the near-future, and focuses on a deep space exploration team, funded by eccentric Peter Weyland. Driven by a shallow motive worthy of Ancient Aliens, the team of the ship Prometheus is basically following an expensive hunch; archeologist team Elizabeth (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie (Logan Marshall-Green) believe they have found a star map to the ‘engineers’ of mankind. And so a two-year, multi-trillion dollar mission has been mounted to see if they’re right. Riiiight.

Like so many other sci-fi movies, the plot seems to beg us to cut to the chase… but the reliance on Weyland’s eccentricity to explain the how and why is hard to overlook. Thank goodness Ridley Scott has the good sense to first lure us in with dramatic long shots, a initially cryptic scene featuring a ‘sacrificial engineer’, and an introduction to the film’s shining star: David (Michael Fassbender).

I knew the film would pay off as soon as I heard the computer voice of the Prometheus say, “Hello David.” The mechanical voice, like the first generation Hal, speaking to an aptly named android just delighted me. With this welcome return to great android characters in the Alien franchise, my bad memories of Winona are almost gone. So let’s all agree that first came David, then came Ash, then Bishop, and that’s it. And no, I am not being influenced by the fact that Fassbender has a huge penis (which he does…). If you happened to catch some of the Prometheusextras, I really enjoyed this particular one which helped to explain the relationship between David and his creator, Peter Weyland; this becomes especially poignant later in the film.

The most hyped role of the film of course, was Meredith Vickers (the super gorgeous Charlize Theron) and I was frankly surprised that it lived up to some of my expectations. She’s a fierce actress, and I think her character – which was re-written to add complexity on her suggestion! – could have used more screen time. Frankly, the pathetic focus on the weakly written Elizabeth Shaw hurt this movie… and ironically, the female archeologist was originally to be played by Theron.

The only drawback to Vickers was her “big” reveal – who cares if she’s Weyland’s daughter? In fact, she could have easily been a key stakeholder in Weyland Corp. who wanted to ‘insure’ the mission… that might have been more in line with the other films in this franchise. But part of re-writing Vickers included an effort to de-corporatize her; I guess that’s why sometimes hot actresses shouldn’t weigh in on their roles. But then Ridley Scott has a history of going on hunches he has around female actors; it got Sigourney in as Ripley, after all.

With a mission that progressively (and predictably) goes from bad to worse, I think I can now turn to what really excited me about the film… first, take a look at this very old, very early concept art by the legendary H.R. Giger for the Alien film:

“The pilot is conceived as one of my biomechanics, attached to the seat so as to form a single unit…” – H. R. Giger, 1978

Anyone familiar with the story behind H.R. Giger’s complete and total influence over the look and feel of Alien, and the EXTREME slight he was dealt when James Cameron took it upon himself to design (and take much of the credit for) the Queen in Aliens, will know that Prometheus has righted a great injustice. And maybe I’m just really passionate about Giger, but the story goes that he was ‘cut out’ of the Aliens creative process, returned in the third film to inspire the Dog Alien, and THEN was not given any credit in Fox’s Alien: Ressurection. This was corrected in subsequent home releases, but as a fan of this artist it has weighed heavily on my angry soul ever since.

Furthermore, Ridley Scott has always kept a chip on his shoulder thanks to being passed over for the sequel to his wildly successful film which really set the franchise in motion. “I was really pissed off, frankly,” he said in a recent interview and he’s made it well-known that Prometheus was intended to set things right. Though not a strict prequel, it does explain the origins of the biomechanoids and the ‘space jockey’ (aka pilot, from Giger’s original conception).

The rendering of ‘The Pilot’ was really stunning to see… especially when I went back and compared it to the original set in the Alien film. Prometheus helped to explain a previous plot issue, where the pilot was incredibly large as compared to the aliens encountered. Ridley Scott had originally used kids to play the astronauts on the set, further enhancing the pilot’s size. But, as revealed in Prometheus, a large exoskeletal suit surrounds the pilot and inside, we find the human-like engineers. I was very satisfied with this solution, as it fit nicely within Giger’s biomechanoid concept art.

And as a fan of Giger, you’ll have to forgive my extreme satisfaction at the movie’s R-rating, and vivd depictions of forced ingestion (ahem). This is pure biomechnoid art, and it is done beautifully in this film. Most renderings are extremely thoughtful and well-shot, with just enough ‘suggestivity’ to instill the creepy, horrific feelings that the original Alien film first inspired.

But yes, the movie has plenty of problems. The makeup job on Peter Weyland is ridiculous; the CGI Sutherland from FF Spirits Within looked more realistic. And I’m not sure what kind of anesthetic they have in the future, not to mention post-recovery drugs, but they must be pretty kick ass to have Elizabeth up and running around and surviving. My main critique is the decision to let her live, rather than have Vickers go through some sort of deep journey that made her want to pursue the engineers. Heck, it could have even led to Theron in the sequel (oh, yeah Ridley Scott has pretty much confirmed a sequel).

But instead, Vickers dies, Elizabeth flies away, and the ending is devoted to a big slap in the face to the weak links in the Alien franchise – which if you ask me, without naming any names/individuals, is well-deserved. So I have to recommend Prometheus to any fans of the Alien franchise, and here’s to a sequel that sees the return of Michael Fassbender. This is also one movie with promotional material that adds a lot of depth, and is worth checking out before you go see the film (again).

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/18/prometheus/feed/2prometheus postercorrelationsPrometheusH. R. Giger Pilot in Cockpitprometheus space jockeyprometheus engineerpeter weylandprometheus alienSaturday at the Movies: That’s My Boyhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/06/09/saturday-at-the-movies-thats-my-boy/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/09/saturday-at-the-movies-thats-my-boy/#commentsSun, 10 Jun 2012 02:47:48 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=8665Adam Sandler movies can be hit and/or miss. Hit: Billy Madison. Miss: Little Nicky. But even the misses have their moments. That’s My Boy, the latest from Happy Madison studios, has just enough funny moments to makes up for the missing ‘je ne sais quoi’ that will keep this from being a hit comedy.

This comedy also comes with lots of bonus SNL cast member appearances, and a few genuine laugh out loud moments that serve to remind me why I love Adam Sandler sometimes. Check out the trailer, and my quick review (with minimal spoilers) after the jump!

That’s My Boy is about a young student named Donnie (Adam Sandler) who has an affair with his smoking hot teacher, and unfortunately impregnates her just before she’s sent to jail for her crime. While Donnie enjoys a young life of super studhood stardom for banging his teacher, he is also left in custody of the baby – who he names Hans Solo.

Skip ahead 30 years or so, and Donnie is broke and in dire need of money to pay back taxes. Desperate, he convinces a talk show to pay him $50,000 to orchestrate a reunion between himself, his ex-teacher/lover, and his son. However his estranged son, played by Andy Samberg, wants nothing to do with his neglectful, incompetent father. Enjoying a successful job and preparing for his wedding, he’s told everyone that his parents are dead and even changed his name to Todd to avoid being tracked down.

Of course, wacky playboy party guy Donnie shows up on his doorstep the weekend of his wedding, and Todd is forced to pretend that Donnie is merely his best friend. Notable supporting cast members include Leighton Meister (who I was CERTAIN was Danica McKellar! You know, Winnie from The Wonder Years?) and Vanilla Ice (yup; and he’s about as awkward as P. Diddy in Get Him to the Greek). But I was thrilled to see Will Forte, Rachel Drach and Colin Quinn… Susan Sarandon was also a fantastic choice for the older version of the hot teacher.

Despite the fact that Donnie nearly ruins his life, Todd comes to appreciate his Dad and eventually embraces his liberal lifestyle for himself… and guess what? It lands him Ciara. I really can’t say much about this movie without either giving away a majorly funny moment, or hashing out a pitifully weak (but typically Adam Sandler) plot line.

Essentially, you can expect incest, random shot gun blasts, pocket beer, excessive masturbation, safety underwear, oh and did I mention old ladies in sexual situations? It all adds up to a classic Adam Sandler comedy that falls somewhere around The Waterboy mark.

If you check it out, I’d love to know if anything in particular made you burst out laughing… no spoilers, let’s see what you come up with

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/09/saturday-at-the-movies-thats-my-boy/feed/1That's My Boy Moviecorrelationsadam sandler That's My Boy Movieandy samberg That's My Boy MovieChad Vader meets Toronto Batmanhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/06/08/chad-vader-meets-toronto-batman/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/08/chad-vader-meets-toronto-batman/#respondFri, 08 Jun 2012 13:56:24 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=8463Batman has hit Toronto with the recent Bat Tumbler Tour… and if you haven’t caught it yet, you still can today at Yonge & Dundas until 4pm. But did you know that Batman himself has been a Toronto sensation for some time? All thanks to the now locally famous Toronto Batman videos.

In fact, his fame has spread far enough to attract the attention of another fan-fictitious character of relative fame: Chad Vader. So much so, that Vader paid Toronto Batman a visit.

Check out the crazy video after the jump…

Chad Vader and Toronto Batman recently met for a wild night on the town in Toronto; and as it turns out the two have a LOT in common. Both are comedic characters born out of the ‘fan video’ craze… Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager is a fairly popular award winning web series in its third season; while Toronto Batman has been gaining notoriety thanks to a series of locally produced comedy videos from Harth.tv – including this one with almost 1.8 MILLION views.

They also both seem to get a kick out of freaking out hapless people on the street; and Toronto loves a good public display of craziness… just check out some old Kenny vs. Spenny. You can see lots more from Toronto Batman on The Sean Ward Show channel.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/08/chad-vader-meets-toronto-batman/feed/0chadvader-torontobatman-postercorrelationsWIN The Comic Book History Of Comics Contesthttps://biffbampop.com/2012/06/06/win-the-comic-book-history-of-comics-contest/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/06/win-the-comic-book-history-of-comics-contest/#commentsWed, 06 Jun 2012 12:52:46 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=8594The Comic Book History of Comics is a treasure that any comic book fan will want to own; a detailed homage to the absolutely unique story of comics, in comic book form! And thanks to Biff Bam Pop, you can win a copy of your very own.

From the award-winning team of Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey, this collection out from IDW offers something truly special for comic book fans. The Comic Book History Of Comics includes all the most important figures in comics/manga history: Jack Kirby, R. Crumb, Harvey Kurtzman, Alan Moore, Stan Lee, Art Spiegelman, Osamu Tezuka and many more.

We know Biff Bam Pop readers are serious about comic books, so we’re giving away one copy of this epic history of the comic book industry to one of YOU!

HOW TO WIN a copy of The Comic Book History of Comics for yourself:

1) Tell us your favourite Comic Book character from any of the following publishers: Marvel, DC, IDW or Dark Horse …

We will choose a winner from all entries received on Saturday June 9th, 2012 to win their very own copy of The Comic Book History of Comics – Good luck!

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/06/win-the-comic-book-history-of-comics-contest/feed/5The Comic Book Historycorrelationscomicbook historySaturday at the Movies: GOONhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/06/02/saturday-at-the-movies-goon/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/02/saturday-at-the-movies-goon/#commentsSat, 02 Jun 2012 17:36:25 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=8468Goon is a hockey movie that aims to glorify the old school hockey spirit that many fans feel is being squashed from the league. Fists, fights, blood and brawn are the tools of the goon trade, and Jay Baruchel (writer and co-star) has helped create an opus to the glory of goon hockey.

I have a feeling that some of the jokes go unappreciated, hence the movie’s lukewarm reception in theatres (in Canada especially, where you’d expect this to be a huge hit!) But with the onset of the last round of the Stanley Cup, and my beloved Toronto Marlies in the Calder Cup finals, Goon is a perfect movie to set the mood – read on if you want to know why (some spoilers).

Starring Seann William Scott (Stiffler) and Alison Pill (Kim from Scott Pilgrim) this is a hockey-lover’s love story, and a poetic nod to the fights and fighters that (in the past) made hockey so AWESOME to watch.

Doug Glatt (Seann William Scott) is a security guard / meat head with no real direction in life; until he joins his friend for a hockey game and ends up beating the shit out of a member of the rival team. If you don’t remember the time when hockey players used to get in fights with fans in the stands, well… neither do I. The NHL has cracked down hard on violence and player behaviour; but I’m sure at farm games it still happens. Ryan (Jay Baruchel) films the fight for his cable access show, and it lands Doug a try out with the local minor team.

Though skating is a challenge, Doug takes to hockey fights like a natural and is soon the local brawl hero. The attention lands him an offer to play with the Halifax Highlanders, and their newly signed ex-NHL star player Xavier LaFlamme (Marc Andre Grondin).

In a movie that could have easily foregone the characterization of the goon players, Goon focuses on their emotional state of mind to add some realism to the film. Having been brutally injured by one of the league’s star bullies, Ross Rhea (Live Schreiber), LaFamme was unable to cut it and got sent down to the Highlanders team. Doug is given the task of keeping an eye on LaFlamme and protecting him from any savage hits. As a result, their tense relationship helps to develop depth in the ‘goon’ character.

But don’t worry; the feature of the movie is still the fighting. Snappy camera shots, wicked one liners and well-timed fisticuffs help to drive the blood-soaked “biff bam pop” factor through the roof; I can’t imagine not being caught up in the electric savagery as the players face off on ice… as it turns out, I’m a really big fan of goon hockey! I also enjoy seeing people get theirs, and there is plenty of beautiful levelling on the ice as the Highlanders draw closer to a playoff spot.

But it’s Doug’s duality that is incredibly endearing; smashing faces and then apologizing politely… this movie is so CANADIAN. Despite his underlying kindness and general ‘good guy’ attitude, Doug starts to fear that he is just a goon and not a true hockey player. He is rejected by his parents, who can’t stomach his brutality, and LaFlamme has no respect for his skills; but Doug is inspired by one girl who helps give him a reason to fight.

Eva (Alison Pill) is an adorable addition to the movie, and her conversations with Doug are definitely designed to melt the goon heart in all of us. One of my favourite moments in the film involves accepting the difficulties in your life; sometimes garbage blows in your face. Glatt’s heartfelt efforts to win over Eva will also keep the girls in the audience happy, without ruining the violent energy of the film. In fact, “love” only strengthens Doug’s resolve to smash faces.

His resolve is again challenged when he meets Ross Rhea. The former great was suspended after the hit to LaFamme and returns to play out his final games before retirement. He tells Doug that they are just goons, and will never be real hockey players.

Of course, he’s proven wrong at the operatic moment when Glatt is being crushed at the net, trying to keep the puck out at a crucial moment in the final qualifier game. I’m fairly certain that Goon is intentionally drawing some parallel to an actual opera or perhaps just the operatic style; this also helps explain some of the classical interludes. If anyone can tell me which exact opera is being referenced, kudos to you; but I’m certain this movie is intended to be a true opus to the dying, and soon to be dead, ‘art’ of goon hockey.

I especially like the way the movie ends – or rather, the point at which they decide to halt the story. Rather than give anything else away, I’ll finish by promising that this will ABSOLUTELY put you in the mood for finals hockey action. If any part of you is a fan of old school, hard hitting, knock your teeth out of your head hockey, you have to give Goon a look… a hockey movie that inspires a love for violence in sports.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/06/02/saturday-at-the-movies-goon/feed/1Goon Hockey MoviecorrelationsGoon Fist CockGoon Jay BaruchelGoon Hockey MovieGoon Hockey LoveGoon Hockey FightGoon Hockey MovieSaturday at the Movies: Chernobyl Diarieshttps://biffbampop.com/2012/05/26/saturday-at-the-movies-chernobyl-diaries/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/05/26/saturday-at-the-movies-chernobyl-diaries/#commentsSat, 26 May 2012 15:34:33 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=8359Chernobyl Diaries is the latest “found footage” style horror flick to hit the big screen. Released this week to theatres, it stars a cast not worth mentioning led by director Bradley Parker in a significantly forgettable debut. The only notable name in the movie is Oren Peli, the screenwriter behind the Paranormal Activity Movies – and from watching the flick, it’s painfully clear that this movie was sold based on Peli’s previous efforts.

Chernobyl Diaries tells the predictable story of a group of young American tourists who, desperate for adventure, place their trust in a foreign adventure tour guide who offers to take them to Pripyat. Pripyat gained notoriety when it was flagged as a ‘safe’ zone near the Chernobyl reactor; tourists began to come in just to see the town’s state of abandonment, since being evacuated suddenly during the disaster.

The allure of seeing this authentically creepy historical artifact sucked me in to this movie just as the hapless victims are sucked in to the contrived plot. I’ll keep the spoilers to a minimum but really, I think you already know exactly how Chernobyl Diaries plays out.

Intrigued by the opportunity to visit Pripyat and get up close with the Chernobyl site, the American tourists – 2 girls, 2 guys, 2 brothers, 2 in love, 2 single, just to keep the mundane-horror formula balanced – meet up with Uri, sketchy ex-Ukranian militia. With such a “well rounded” cast, how could the movie not go well?

The adventure starts off with great promise, as the group ventures in to the Ukranian countryside but is stopped at a military check point due to some sort of strange operation. It’s easy to become intrigued with the movie early on, as the story is purposefully vague and there is something unnerving about the Pripyat area on its own. Careful though, any early intrigue is just setting you up for a bigger fall. This movie seemed to borrow from a lot of build generated by other stories… Resident Evil was the first that came to mind as the abandoned Pripyat is revealed.

Once the group sneaks inside Pripyat, it isn’t long until the movie blows its proverbial load; by finding a dead ‘fish monster’ by the side of the lake the movie opens the flood gates for any kind of mutagenic mayhem to ensue. In something reminiscent of The Host, the monster seems like a promising (if somewhat predictable) story line… which is never picked up again.

As if realizing its premature reveal, the movie tries to throw the audience off by having the group next encounter some fairly ‘normal’ problems… like being charged by a massive bear, attacked by packs of ravenous dogs, and having their starter cables mysteriously ‘chewed’ to pieces. But since none of these elements are ever really strung together, or explained in the context of the mutant, these seem like distraction tactics more than story elements.

The movie plays out this way – horrific discovery, run away with no explanation – so much so that I really wonder if any cohesive story was ever written. Oren Peli likely made this movie happen, but I have a feeling that Paranormal Activity presented a rather easy scripting challenge. Big movies require characterization, dialogue, and a sequential plot that ideally fits together; or maybe not.

In the end, Chernobyl Diairies manages to fit in a wide array of random spooky pieces, and I have tried to pin point where each was borrowed from. Abandoned nuclear disaster site could fit in to a lot of movies, but with the dogs especially Resident Evil is still on my mind. A number of jerky camera sequences shot in the dark as the group runs in terror seemed straight out of Blair Witch Project, the original found footage masterpiece. Hordes of mutant humans, some who cry like babies and others who from behind look like 3 year olds but never turn to face you, ripped from countless prior horror films. And then, again at random, the group stumbles upon an underground and active medical facility, reminiscent of LOST right down to the random unexplained plot arc.

You’ll notice I’ve spent little to no time exploring the characters, and have made no effort to sequence the plot. There’s no point – everything is ultimately interchangeable once the first mutant fish thing is discovered. The only scares you’ll get out of Chernobyl Diaries are the cheap ‘jump in your seat’ sudden flashes, and the overwhelming fear that the movie industry is doomed. I’d wager 90% of you can guess the outcome of this movie, but just in case you’re curious to know… the single, female lead in the group survives, only to be picked up by the Ukranian Military and ‘thrown to the mutants’ to prevent her from ever telling her story. Slow… sarcastic… clap.

In this sadly predictable film, there is one major highlight – the footage from the Pripyat area dominates the first 15-20 minutes and it is beautiful. It strikes me as I write this that Chernobyl Diaries has really done the town an injustice. I find nothing particularly offensive about creating a fictional horror story about the Chernobyl disaster or the town of Pripyat; but to make such a bad movie that so many will probably is just despicable. I recommend watching one of the independent documentaries on the area if you’re interested.

Of course if you just want a scare-happy, senseless horror flick with no real story… try Chernobyl Diaries. If you were looking for Paranormal Activity or better, I think I’ve successfully vaporized your hope.

The Dictator hits theatres this Wednesday, but I got an early peek at Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest ultra offensive comedy.

Sitting somewhere between Bruno and Borat, The Dictator seems like a more ‘charged’ political parody than the other two. Unfortunately, this also means that in order to enjoy, you’ll need to attend with some minimally savvy movie-goers; ideally ones who can take a joke or two.

Though equally offensive, The Dictator does focus on the Middle East… but no one should feel singled out by the movie. I only mention this because every well-placed Jewish joke seemed to get no laughs. Let’s not forget, Sacha Baron Cohen is Jewish so if anything these jokes should be less offensive.

Of course, there is plenty more to knot your panties.. from women to immigrants to fat kids, Cohen shines when Aladeen, shows no mercy.

The Dictator is a story about the great leader of Wadiya, a middle eastern country with vast oil reserves and a dictator unwilling to sell them to foreign interests. So a plot is hatched to displace the great leader Aladeen, and turn the country in to a demoncracy so that ‘evil’ outside Nations can get to the reserves. Evil is of course relative; so there is little resistance to the plan to remove Aladeen and put a double in his place.

The switch is made when Wadiya’s leader is asked to visit the United Nations, to address concerns over its cruel dictatorship. When Aladeen is kidnapped by a ‘rogue’ special agent who hates ‘all Arabs’, his double announces to the UN that Wadiya will draft a constitution and embrace democracy. Managing to escape, the once-dictator vows to prevent the signing of the constitution and reclaim his power, all under the guise of preventing evil foreigners from taking his oil, just to confuse the good vs bad guys.

Adrift in America – “a country built by the Blacks and owned by the Chinese” – Aladeen meets super-American activist/hippie women’s libber Zoey (Anna Faris) who mistakenly takes him for a political refugee. Giving him a job in her organic grocery store co-op, their relationship sets up the majority of jokes in the movie. Even better, the store’s employees include a black guy, an old dude, a cripple, and when a fat kid comes in the menagerie is complete. I don’t begrudge a Baron-Cohen film for such obvious situational set ups, but they aren’t always the funniest jokes in the movie. His wandering around New York yields a much better reel, one that was clearly unscripted.

Aladeen’s drive to regain his rightful place as dictator soon leads him to explore the ‘unsavoury’ underbelly of New York, taking him to ‘Little Wadiya’ and a dank bar devoted to the country’s political refugees. Since Aladeen ordered most of these people executed while in power, he is shocked to find the former head of his nuclear program alive and in New York. Befriending him, the two decide to work together in order to return to their former power and status.

Though he desperately wants to return to Wadiya, Aladeen is finding that his ‘American’ relationship with Zoey is starting to change him. Despite her flat chest and short hair, he begins to fall in love with this unlikely candidate, and knowing that she hates what Dictator Aladeen stands for, he feels forced to reveal himself. He tries to explain that he is protecting his country’s oil, but his brutal leadership precedes him and Zoey asks him to leave.

Somewhat heartboken but undeterred from his plans, Aladeen and his former scientist set out to disrupt the UN signing of the new Waidya constitution. Now without any spoilers, because its best to avoid priming people for offensive humour – it makes it less offensive and less funny – Aladeen is able to regain power AND bring democracy to his people. He also gets Zoey. He also finds out she’s Jewish… and if you’re not laughing by that point in the movie, you’ll know you just weren’t the ‘intended’ audience.

The right audience makes any movie but when it comes to Sacha Baron Cohen flicks, in particular his latest The Dictator, I’m surprised anyone would find their way in to the theatre without knowing EXACTLY what to expect. In short, if you thought Bruno was meh and liked Borat, you’ll probably love The Dictator – which opens this Wednesday May 16th, 2012.

Bonus? TONS of Saturday Night Live cast members play bit parts; and they were a lot funnier than Cohen’s bit on SNL:

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/05/14/the-dictator-wins-with-right-audience-spoilers/feed/0The Dictator MoviecorrelationsThe Dictator MovieThe Dictator Anna FarisStar Wars May the 4th Be With You WINNERhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/05/08/star-wars-may-the-4th-be-with-you-winner/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/05/08/star-wars-may-the-4th-be-with-you-winner/#respondTue, 08 May 2012 12:20:12 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=8081Star Wars Day was a huge success (once again!) and we’re ready to announce the winner of our May the 4th Be With You Contest!

We loved the Cello Lightsaber Battle below, but the awesomely NSFWHitler vs. Vader Rap clinched her win… you can check THAT out after the jump!

Here’s the hilarious Hitler vs. Vader rap… truly Kenny Hotz-worthy.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/05/08/star-wars-may-the-4th-be-with-you-winner/feed/0correlationsMay the 4th Be With You Contesthttps://biffbampop.com/2012/05/04/may-the-4th-be-with-you-contest/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/05/04/may-the-4th-be-with-you-contest/#commentsFri, 04 May 2012 12:25:28 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=7954

May the 4th has become the unofficial day of celebration for Star Wars fans world wide. “May the 4th be With You” has grown in to a fan-phenomenon; and according to Wikipedia the first organized Star Wars Day took place in Toronto, Ontario last year! Who knew?

How to Win? Just post a link to the FUNNIEST Star Wars meme joke you can find in the comments below OR on the Biff Bam Pop Facebook page!

SHOW US YOUR STAR WARS MEMES!

We’ll select our favourite funny tribute to May the 4th at midnight tonight, so feel free to post as many entries as you want until then! We’ve posted a few examples but GET CREATIVE! The big winner will be announced tomorrow on Biff Bam Pop.

For those looking for a way to celebrate May the 4th in a BIG way, check out the second annual Star Wars Day TONIGHT at Toronto’s Underground Cinema! It’s sure to be a hardcore fan-tastic event, worthy of your Star Wars love, including an Original Trilogy trivia game show, costume contest, and tons of great prizes. All proceeds go to benefit the Sick Kids Foundation.

Now SHOW US YOUR STAR WARS MEMES for your chance to Win a copy of DK’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The Expanded Visual Dictionary!!!

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/05/04/may-the-4th-be-with-you-contest/feed/8May the 4th be with yourcorrelationsStormtrooper RegrestWin A Copy Of The Avengers Soundtrack – Day 2 And Our First Winner!https://biffbampop.com/2012/05/01/win-a-copy-of-the-avengers-soundtrack-day-2-and-our-first-winner/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/05/01/win-a-copy-of-the-avengers-soundtrack-day-2-and-our-first-winner/#respondTue, 01 May 2012 13:36:19 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=7875The Avengers movie is the big ticket at the box office this week, and we’ve got our first winner of the Avengers Movie Soundtrack! There’s a copy to be won every day this week, so be sure to enter today for your chance to win!

Marie Gilbert came out the big winner yesterday for telling us about her favourite ‘Titanic Team’ of Avengers:“I’m voting for Iron Man and Thor. Iron Man represents the technology of today’s generation and future generations to come. Thor represents the power and discipline of ancient times. With the joining of past and present, you have a win-win situation.”

We’ve still got FOUR (4) more copies of the movie soundtrack to giveaway, courtesy of our friends at Universal Music. Featuring artists like Soundgarden, Bush and Theory Of A Deadman, the soundtrack is a great addition to your collection! And for Day 2, we say hello to Biff Bam Pop’s theme for May: ORIGINS. Details on how you can win after the jump.

In honour of Mother’s Day, Spring and the awesome theme of ORIGINS, we’re going to give away the next Avengers soundtrack to the best origin story.

Tell us ONE Avengers character origin story, in your own 20 words or less, for your chance to win the a copy of the movie soundtrack!

How to enter the Avengers CD Soundtrack DAY #2 Giveaway:

1) Post a comment below telling us the origin of one Avengers character, in 20 words or less (must use valid email when commenting).

2) Bonus entry: Tweet us @BiffBamPop with the hashtag #Avengers (you must be following @BiffBamPop on Twitter).

Winner Selection:
One winner will be selected from all entries received by May 2nd, 2012 at 11:59 PM EST.
The winner will be announced May 3rd, 2012 right here at Biff Bam Pop!

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/05/01/win-a-copy-of-the-avengers-soundtrack-day-2-and-our-first-winner/feed/0avengerssoundtrack__120328211525correlationsavengerssoundtrack__120328211525The Wicker Tree Tests My Faithhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/04/25/the-wicker-tree-tests-my-faith/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/04/25/the-wicker-tree-tests-my-faith/#commentsWed, 25 Apr 2012 17:26:02 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=7801The Wicker Tree is the sequel to the cult classic The Wicker Man and if you were a fan of the original, writer/director Robin Hardy is also responsible for this curious theatrical follow up. Starring nobody reputable, you might recognize Graham McTavish as the bad guy. But other than one fantastically short and relatively hardcore scene, the most exciting moment is the 30 second appearance from Christopher Lee, a weak throw back to the original. Otherwise, prepare for a movie about reborn Christian missionaries who fall prey to a Scottish conspiracy to cover up an environmental disaster through Paganism… WHAT?! Yup.

Oh and worth mentioning before you make the jump… The Wicker Tree is a follow up to the original 1973 version, and not the Nic Cage version (Seth, how is he NOT in this movie?!?)

There are many ways in which the sequel hearkens to the orignal The Wicker Man. Like the original, The Wicker Tree explores the limits of religious faith in the face of ‘modern’ society. For Beth and boyfriend Steve, born again Christians with unsavoury pasts, faith is deeply tied to their own salvation and the salvation of others; which prompts them to mission to Scotland to help spread the word of Jesus. For the Pagans who they meet, faith is tied to ancient rituals designs to elicit action from their gods.

Similar also is the sense of desperation which drives the Pagan-minded town to extremes. Unimportant Spoiler Alert: if you pay attention, you learn that the town has fallen victim to secret hazardous waste spill, which has rendered the inhabitants sterile. But this never really affects the outcome, other than to make their rituals seem hopeless.

Along with this minimal reveal, other strange choices are made in this movie. For example, the excessively long musical sequences and dated musical score… this movie felt like it was testing MY faith in its own salvation.

But hey – when the cover of a movie comes with critical acclaim like, “You’ll see faces, performances and scenes you’ll never see in any other movie,” printed on the cover, you know there wasn’t much to say about the film. I’m certainly not giving anything shocking away (especially if you’ve seen the original) when I tell you that the sacrifice at the climax is a pretty great scene. The short, oddly shot, 15 second glimpse of Pagans devouring their victim and howling like animals has great impact – where was this incisive cinematic approach during the rest of the film?

But in retrospect, I realize that this scene only seemed to hint at greatness because of the tepid scenes that surround it. The ending spirals in to luke warm conclusions, most of them foregone and utterly predictable. If you’re a die hard Robin Hardy fan or enjoy vaguely Christian musical numbers, I would still recommend checking out The Wicker Tree; and it does offer some interesting moments leading up to the AWESOME sacrifice scene.

Oddly enough, though I’m no fan of Nicholas Cage… this film probably could have done with more of him.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/04/25/the-wicker-tree-tests-my-faith/feed/4The Wicker TreecorrelationsThe Wicker TreeBrittania NicolGraham McTavishSaturday at the Movies: Shamehttps://biffbampop.com/2012/04/21/saturday-at-the-movies-shame/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/04/21/saturday-at-the-movies-shame/#commentsSat, 21 Apr 2012 22:11:09 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=7701Shame is the latest from Steven McQueen, a writer/director who is known for boldly dramatizing intense subject matter (as in his last movie, Hunger).

Starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, I expected nothing less of Shame… but wasn’t totally prepared for its depth of psycho-sexuality. Certainly not a film for the shy or sexually repressed, Shame is a steep descent in to the tortured psyche, and the needs that drive us towards others.

The lead figure in McQueen‘s Shame is Brandon, a fairly successful and semi-social middle-aged man who is compelled by extreme sexual desires to act them out. To be frank, the reason this movie truly works is Brandon’s portrayal by Fassbender; and I’m not just saying that because he’s so well endowed (though it’s a bonus!) McQueen saw great success with this lead in Hunger, and Fassbender’s appeal comes from his subtle treatment of a well-written character.

Brandon’s life appears to be well in order; good job, close friends and a real knack with the ladies. But this facade quickly gives way as it becomes clear that he is not entirely in control of his life, and his sexual encounters are being driven by some fierce place inside his psyche. A functional addict you might say, Brandon whets his sexual appetites by any means necessary but appears to have things under control.

That is until his sister, Sissy shows up on his doorstep. Played by Carey Mulligan, Sissy is desperately in need of Brandon’s help but is also an unwelcome guest. Though not entirely clear why their family broke up, she at one point alludes to some form of abuse. Sissy is also clingy and messy, but the real issue is that she forces Brandon to see himself in a different light, that of a brother, which seems to be the starting point for his personal shame. Sissy also presents a serious obstacle in Brandon’s efforts to curb his sexual needs, where out of both guilt and necessity he is suddenly forced to sneak around.

This hindrance and the idea that someone is depending on him is too much, and compels Brandon towards even deeper sexual desires. Brandon’s shame is heightened by being forced to call on prostitutes to satisfy his needs, and furthered when he tries to have ‘traditional sex’ with a co-worker but finds he can’t become aroused. Cyclically, this combines to intensify his needs and dials his sexual behaviour to extreme levels.

Now extreme can be a subjective term, but McQueen found a way to hit it home with most of his audience. Brandon, a clearly heterosexual man, is eventually driven to homosexual encounters – simply because he is in extreme need of sexual satisfaction. This surprised me, and maybe shouldn’t have. I come from a liberal background but most people don’t, and I figured the movie would hold back. The extremity of Brandon’s situation, which explores shame on a level deeper than most are comfortable to go, was fascinating and poignant. I guess some people would consider this movie to be pornographic, but I’d classify it as psycho-erotic; and yes there’s a difference.

In the end, it’s Brandon’s sister Sissy who both drives him to extremity and saves him from it. Her own inner turmoil becomes more clear as the movie progresses, and Brandon is forced to make a choice between her and himself. The ending is hopeful, but never reveals whether Brandon has broken the cycle of need or overcome his personal shame. It’s definitely one of those ‘ok, you decide’ type of moments, which isn’t necessarily satisfying but is at least well-presented.

Despite his artful treatment of the subject matter, the biggest “shame” was a disruptive New Balance product placement in one of the crucial scenes; maybe intended to give uncomfortable audiences an out through distraction? I can say this much, there are quite a few people who are probably incapable of truly watching this movie – and I think that is part of McQueen’s magic. His next film promises to be another intensely uncomfortable drama, about a man living in the 1800s who gets kidnapped and sold into slavery; but Shame is an excellent movie to test your mettle for McQueen.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/04/21/saturday-at-the-movies-shame/feed/2Shame McQueen PostercorrelationsShame FassbenderShame MovieTrailer Time: The Dividehttps://biffbampop.com/2012/04/18/trailer-time-the-divide/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/04/18/trailer-time-the-divide/#respondWed, 18 Apr 2012 12:36:07 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=7642The Divide is one of those films that has eluded me, despite being quite high on my ‘most recommended’ and ‘must watch’ lists. Thankfully, this post-apocalyptic psycho-drama from Anchor Bay has finally come to video! Starring Michael Biehn, Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes), Rosanna Arquette and more, no one really stood out until I read the director: Xavier Gens.

Probably best known for Hitman, I think Gens’ Frontière(s) is probably closer to what The Divide will offer – awesome ultra-gory nihilism (fingers crossed!)

Check out the trailer below; I’ll post my review soon, but this’ll give you time to pick up a copy of The Divide so you can help pass judgement!

In Andy’s own words, “Getting the chance to talk to WWE Hall of Famer Edge was a great experience. He answered the questions Wizard World VIP fans had sent in with honesty, which is what you always hope for when you talk to a celebrity. He was as gracious and forthcoming with me as he was when I first interviewed him all the way back in 2001, when I was an aspiring freelance writer working for WWE Magazine. ”

We’ve got the full 20 minute interview; check it out as Edge talks about the terms of his retirement and his brand new biographical DVD.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/04/15/wwe-interview-edge-at-toronto-comic-con/feed/1WWE Edge WrestlercorrelationsThe Avengers Behind the Scenes: Assemble the Ultimate Protectionhttps://biffbampop.com/2012/03/26/the-avengers-behind-the-scenes-assemble-the-ultimate-protection/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/03/26/the-avengers-behind-the-scenes-assemble-the-ultimate-protection/#respondMon, 26 Mar 2012 21:14:55 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=7264The Avengers is gearing up for a huge release on May the 4th, and right on cue comes a brand new behind the scenes featurette. Maybe it was put together in a hurry since the title, Assemble the Ultimate Protection, sounds reminiscent of a condom ad… but it offers a great peek at what The Avengers movie will offer.

Featuring interviews with Joss Whedon, Kevin Feige, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and more, this Marvel and Norton Antivirus promotional piece is a great way to get excited for the film to come.

Watch The Avengers: Assemble the Ultimate Protection after the jump…

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/03/26/the-avengers-behind-the-scenes-assemble-the-ultimate-protection/feed/0avengers2012correlationsMarch Madness – The Walking Dead: The Gamehttps://biffbampop.com/2012/03/18/march-madness-the-walking-dead-the-game/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/03/18/march-madness-the-walking-dead-the-game/#commentsMon, 19 Mar 2012 03:55:56 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=7128The Walking Dead Season 2 has come to a close (what a crazy episode!) and if you’re anything like me, you’re probably going to go mad waiting for new episodes this Fall. But fear not! Or rather, continue to fear! Because the zombie hordes are coming in The Walking Dead: The Game.

IGN just released a taser trailer for the highly anticipated Walking Dead game based on the TV show (based on Kirkman’s graphic series). So far, the game is planned to be released in episode format for all major platforms. As you’d imagine, the game is essentially a first person shooter where you’re the star, forced to somehow survive the first days of the zombie onslaught.

Unfortunately the game doesn’t feature any characters from the TV show, but rather a new story line around someone named Lee. TV. But the trailer suggests a good layer of story building and atmospheric development, with graphics smooth enough to blend in to the background as you enter survival mode. Check it out below – what do you think?

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/03/18/march-madness-the-walking-dead-the-game/feed/1The Walking Dead GamecorrelationsSaturday At The Movies: Beerfesthttps://biffbampop.com/2012/03/17/saturday-at-the-movies-beerfest/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/03/17/saturday-at-the-movies-beerfest/#respondSat, 17 Mar 2012 22:04:33 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=7070St. Patrick’s Day is upon us and what better way to celebrate than with a cold boot full of beer? And perhaps the best movie to compliment that yard of ale, Beerfest.

This was the movie that first introduced me to Das Boot (uh, the second) but according to the interweb, “Beer boots, or Bierstiefel, have over a century of history and culture behind them.”

The story goes that a general once promised that if his troops were successful, he would drink from his own boot; and to avoid having to follow through, he had a glass boot made instead. Whether or not beer is your drink of choice, Broken Lizard’s Beerfest is a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and the art of intoxication.

You may be asking why this is going up for St. Patrick’s Day and not Oktoberfest. WELL, this movie will teach you that Oktoberfest is for tossers and sheep-shaggers. The real drinking takes place at Beerfest – the most hardcore gathering of alcoholic athletes known to man. Brothers Jan (Paul Soter) and Todd (Erik Stolhanske) Wolfhause learn about this extreme annual competition when they travel to Germany, to honour the death of their grandfather. Soon they are forced to prove their worth amongst some of the most hardcore beer drinkers in the world, who have mastered the chugging of the boot.

Unfortunately, their grandfather (Donald Sutherland) is known to their German relatives as a thieving stable boy, who ran off with his mother – a ‘common Bavarian whore’ (Cloris Lechman). He also stands accused of stealing the greatest beer recipe Germany has ever known from the Wolfhausen family. Jan and Todd, certain that he never stole or brewed any beer, jump at the chance to defend his honour in Beerfest competition. Sadly, their American beer drinking skills are no match for their German ‘cousins’ – defeated, they are forced to return home.

It isn’t long before they decide to enact their revenge, by coming back and kicking ass at the next year’s event. Despite their humiliation, Jan and Todd are certain that with the right team & training, they can defeat their German competitors. As they begin to collect their team, we soon meet Landfill, Barry and Fink. Landfill (Kevin Heffernan) and Barry (Jay Chandrasekhar) will look familiar from another Broken Lizard favourite, Super Troopers.

The team assembled, Jan and Todd know that despite their elite drinking skills, they will face serious competition at Beerfest. Set up in a training facility, they set out for 11 months of preparation – including figuring out how to master ‘das boot’. If you’ve never had beer out of a glass boot (or just want a laugh) then check out this scene – one of the funniest!

The ‘twist’ comes when the brothers discover the stolen beer recipe, hidden in their grandfather’s ‘Popo’ toy. Although this lends weight to their grandfather’s poor reputation, they decide to try brewing it and discover it’s the best beer they have ever had.

There are some (hilarious) difficulties to overcome, like Barry’s insanity, Landfill’s death, his replacement by his twin brother, Landfill… but by the time 11 months go by and next Beerfest rolls around, the team is ready to represent team USA at the legendary Beerfest. And here’s where the movie gets fun (and you get drunk!)

Drinking games like The Volume Chug, Trick Quarters, the Long Pour and Mexican (hahaha) events are all GREAT examples of stunts you CAN try at home (despite the movie’s initial warning screen). But in the end, it all boils down to the final round, USA vs. Germany, sudden death and DAS BOOT.

I won’t give away the ending (because it’s so hard to tell the ending of this movie, right?) but suffice it to say that whether your drink of choice is bourbon, whiskey or beer, Beerfest is a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Cheers!

March 12, 2012, Toronto, ON – Writers of horror, thriller and suspense… this is your FINAL call! The publishing team at BIFF BAM POP! has set a deadline of April 1st for submissions to their upcoming Short Story Anthology.

With a record breaking year for traffic to BiffBamPop.com and the success of last year’s Biff Bam Boo comics collection, writers can be sure that a huge exposure opportunity will accompany an inclusion in this year’s anthology. Any aspiring horror, thriller and suspense writers are reminded that these are the final weeks to submit their work for consideration. The finished Anthology will feature hand-picked short fiction from authors big and small.

“Already the response and anticipation internationally for this project has been overwhelming,” says Andy Burns, Editor-In-Chief, BIFF BAM POP! “Everyone who has submitted a story so far understands the potential opportunities that can come from contributing to our anthology. If you’re a writer whose short fiction contains elements of the horror, thriller and/or suspense genres, we want to see your work.”

Writers must submit their original prose before the 11:59pm (ET) April 1st, 2012 deadline. A panel of BIFF BAM POP! representatives will review every submission received, and those selected will be published in the Short Story Anthology to be released this Fall.

Established in August 2008, Biff Bam Pop! is a website devoted to the world of pop culture, from comic books and video games, to movies, books, and music. For additional information, visit www.biffbampop.com.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/03/13/biff-bam-pop-makes-last-call-for-short-horrorthrillersuspense-anthology-submissions/feed/2BBP logocorrelationsWatchmen Prequels: Your Reactionshttps://biffbampop.com/2012/02/03/watchmen-prequels-your-reactions/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/02/03/watchmen-prequels-your-reactions/#commentsFri, 03 Feb 2012 19:19:29 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=6291With this week’s announcement of the forthcoming Watchmen Prequels came a wide variety of reactions from fans. Our own J.P. perhaps said it best in Everything is Eventual, a solid look at this bombshell announcement; but not everyone took the news with such grace and objectivity.

Our Twitter feed has been inundated with funny and insightful fan responses to the news from DC Comics.

Short of getting Alan Moore’s reaction, these are some of the best responses we’ve seen so far:

Have you seen any awesome zingers or thoughtful comments about the Watchmen Prequels? Share it with us in the comments or tweet us: @BiffBamPop !

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2012/02/03/watchmen-prequels-your-reactions/feed/2WatchmenSadButtoncorrelationsWatchmen PrequelsGentlemen Broncos in Saturday at the Movieshttps://biffbampop.com/2012/01/28/gentlemen-broncos-in-saturday-at-the-movies/
https://biffbampop.com/2012/01/28/gentlemen-broncos-in-saturday-at-the-movies/#commentsSat, 28 Jan 2012 17:04:29 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=6039Gentlemen Broncos is one of those awesome sci-fi movies about science fiction that is simply overlooked. The trial of a young unknown author, the plagiarism of his greatest work, good vs. evil, battle stags and yeast wars; YUP. Struggling sci-fi writers, this is a movie dedicated to you.

Like other Hess films (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre) Gentlemen Broncos is non-descript, with a weird worn out kitsch character treatment; and this one is really weird – like, weird in a way that will make you afraid to use hand cream.

But if like me, you have ever romanticized the life of a successful writer or struggled to write a story; if you’ve voraciously read yellow TOR paperbacks; if you remain obsessively loyal to the campy origins of sci fi, you’re probably going to love Gentlemen Broncos.

Starring Michael Angarano (Almost Famous) and Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Concords), Gentlemen Broncos probably offers one other familiar face, a Hess favourite Héctor Jiménez (Nacho Libre). Trust me though, every character is awesomely weird and wonderfully portrayed. The whole film has a stand out vibe helped by a killer soundtrack of classic psychedelic rock and great title credits to set the mood from the start.

Enter Benjamin (Angarano), a relative nobody who lives with his single mother and yearns to honour his dead father by writing a master science fiction novel. Pushed by his eccentric mother, he attends a writing camp to help his craft. He’s not particularly excited until he learns that his favourite author, Richard Chevalier (Clement), will be at the event. He is further inspired by Chevalier’s rousing welcome speech about his early success as a young author.

My favourite character, Chevalier quickly reveals himself to be a near-hack. And “as the author of Troll hole,” he doesn’t take kindly to being challenged. One lesson he does convey is the power of the suffix, which promises to ameliorate any humdrum character name by adding a simple suffix like ‘onious’ or ‘ainous’. It’s awesomely arrogant, and sadly accurate from some of the published work I’ve read.

Chevalier has a lot of feedback for young Benji, primarily critical. Which is especially ironic considering how much he comes to love Benji’s work. Chevalier is forced to help judge a contest for the camp, and stumbles upon Benji’s Yeast Lords among a slew of terrible submissions. Instantly drawn in, and desperate to deliver a new book to his publisher, Chevalier resolves himself to stealing the story for his own and begins to write his version, The Adventures of Brutus & Balzaak.

This sets up a framework for what I really appreciate about this movie; the transition between reality, the world of Benji’s version of Yeast Lords, and the alternate Chevalier Brutus & Balzaak. When the audience sees the story from the perspective of Benjamin or his friends, their mind’s eye opens to Bronco, a fierce, manly hero striving against evil. However when Chevalier gets his hands on it, we’re shown a bastardized version named Brutus, an effeminate and shallow protagonist. It’s a great way of showing how the author’s ideas (and intentions) directly impact the story being told.

The divergence of Benji’s original concept and Chevalier’s is furthered when local filmmaker Lonni (Jiménez) buys Yeast Lords for a movie adaptation. Like any adaptation, the movie takes great liberties with the storyline and characters; it perfectly demonstrates how an author feels when their ideas are raped and re-appropriated. In the lightest and funniest way possible, this movie is about coming to terms with the limits to creative propriety… but have no fear, the writer triumphs in the end!

When Benji finally sees the new Chevalier book, he is outraged and tries to confront the author at a signing but only ends up in jail. Just when everything seems bleak, his mother comes to the rescue… giving him the proof he needs to nail Chevalier, and in the process use the fiasco to get his own story published. I won’t give away too much of how it plays out, but it’s triumphant, magnificent, and fully delivers you from the ominious tone that the movie had taken.

And that’s why, struggling writers, this is a movie dedicated to us. When things look bleak and you’re not sure of yourself, always remember if some hack can do it, so can you. And in the world of science fiction, it can be hard to tell a hack from a genius. I find Gentlemen Broncos carries the hallmark of Hess movies; bringing you to a borderline sense of depression and apathy, but somehow depositing you in feelgoodsville. And no, I don’t expect I’ll ever get published using words like feelgoodsville… feelgoodsonious, maybe.

Apple fanatics… we all know at least ONE; and for the iPhone junkie who has everything we’ve got the perfect present! In part two of today’s Holiday Gift Guide, we look at the iPhone Projector Case from Texas Instruments (TI) and specialty retailer Brookstone.

Whether you’re buying for yourself or for a fellow Apple fan, this powerful pocket-sized projector makes an awesome gift. With Texas Instrument’s Pico projector technology, this device allows you to plug your iPhone in for on-the-go video projection.

Designed like many iPhone battery cases, the Projector Case is small and self-charging with minimal bulk; it can even be used like a back up battery for your device – a great accessory for any iPhone user!

But of course the real appeal here is the prospect of subjecting others to your personal photos, videos, and apps; anywhere and at any time. With a 15-lumen-LED projection lamp (located near the headphone jack at the top) and a 0.5-Watt speaker (on the back) this device truly is a portable screening room for whatever you can access via iPhone. It works with with any app that supports dock-connector video out, including the stock Videos, Photos, and YouTube apps, and some third party apps. Reviews confirm that the Projector Case delivers on its promised up to 50” display with 640×360 native resolution. Like any projector, it works best in a dark room but can be whipped out just about anywhere. At $230 this is a beautiful price point for a device that lets you virtually photo and video bomb people with your iPhone content. You can order it from Brookstone here, and though it won’t arrive in time for the Holidays it WILL be there in time to show off all those embarrassing New Years photos. If you have an Apple fanatic on your list, the Projector Case is sure to impress!

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2011/12/18/biff-bam-pops-holiday-gift-guide-day-18-part-2-iphone-projector-case/feed/0iphoneprojectorcorrelationsImmortals – The Anti-Climactic Epichttps://biffbampop.com/2011/11/11/immortals-the-anti-climactic-epic/
https://biffbampop.com/2011/11/11/immortals-the-anti-climactic-epic/#respondFri, 11 Nov 2011 21:51:59 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=4717Immortals (in 3D) comes out today and I had a chance to catch the preview screening. Considering the movie is basically being sold on the success of 300, it would have been hard for Immortals to live up to peoples expectations.

With a few killer CGI fight scenes and a lot of recycled 300 camera angles, Immortals is just entertaining enough to make it worth checking out in 3D… but just barely.

[Minimal spoilers]

Immortals makes some gorgeous use of the cgi fighting seen in 300. The bullet-time sequences capture a lot of what you want from this movie: high impact graphic violence. There is also a good deal of realism worked in to the way bodies are crushed and torn apart, with plenty of savage brutality to appease fans of 300. The Gods, in particular Helios (I think? the one with the large spikes on his head) have AMAZING fight sequences that demonstrate their super human abilities. I also loved some of the use of cgi with 3D, such as the ‘cloaks’ the Gods wrap themselves in to take their true forms.

The casting was hit and miss, but there were some brilliant choices made. Mickey Rourke, who I hadn’t realized played a major role as the evil Hyperion, was fantastic; he’s become a master of delivering passionate performances in characters who register little to no emotion. I also adore the lead Henry Cavill (Tudors) who pretty much carried the movie for the rest of the characters.My biggest issue is with the female lead, played by Freida Pinto. The opening scene is completely left to her to sell, and it doesn’t even come close. I don’t recall any emotion registering on her face until almost halfway through the film, and anti-climactic dialogue doesn’t help the situation. Most of the other cast members were equally forgettable.

Anti-climactic is actually a good word to sum up the movie. Only a very few of the fight scenes really had teeth, and I’m absolutely confused as to the choices made in shooting the huge fight scenes at the end. Particularly the ‘tunnel’ – which really put 300 on my brain, given the battle set up – became a confused choreography of dark shapes and blurry gore. The ending also played out too long, with a conclusion I’m sure will have most people rolling their eyes.

Even if you end up enjoying this luke warm ‘epic’, any movie using ‘from the producers of 300‘ as their tout line should deliver a lot more. A more up front selling point for this movie would be its director, Tarsem Singh who debuted with The Cell (that Jennifer Lopez movie). There are a couple places where Immortals echoes that dark and disturbing mythology we glimpsed in that film.

All in all, how to fix Immortals? More Gods, more Gods fighting, more Gods fighting mortals, more Gods using crazy weapons, more heads getting smashed, and more Henry Cavill.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2011/11/11/immortals-the-anti-climactic-epic/feed/0Immortals Mickey RourkecorrelationsIMMORTALS MovieImmortals Mickey RourkeImmortals Henry CavillCorina’s Cartoon Cuts: South Park 1%https://biffbampop.com/2011/11/11/corinas-cartoon-cuts-south-park-1/
https://biffbampop.com/2011/11/11/corinas-cartoon-cuts-south-park-1/#commentsFri, 11 Nov 2011 18:16:18 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=4706Last week South Park took a stab at the #Occupy movement in the 1% episode; and as usual they hit the nail on the head in satirizing the inherent generalization of the 99%. With media posed to exploit any occupation they can find, South Park’s lesser known fast food hangout becomes the scene of #OccupyRedRobin in protest of the Presidential Fitness Test.

But all satire aside, the best part of this episode? It’s all about Cartman.

[Spoilers start here]

Cartman is one of the most charismatic people in South Park, with a deeply twisted dark side that sickos like myself find SO endearing. It really shines in this episode, where South Park elementary has a new reason to hate on Cartman. His low score on the presidential fitness test has dragged the school’s average down to the lowest score in the country. Now, the entire school is being forced to take Phys-ed during recess… all because the 1% (Cartman) didn’t accept responsibility, thus affecting the 99% (every other student)… get it? Derp.

Of course, according to Cartman this is ALL Obama’s fault; he’s the president, he set up the test system, and because he’s black no one will blame him for anything. In fact, Cartman is beginning to feel like everyone is ganging up on him (the 1%) unfairly, and he becomes worried that the 99% are somehow out to get him. The other kids in his class just tell Cartman to stop complaining and grow up; and an off the cuff remark from Craig, “Yeah, why don’t you go home and cry to your stuffed animals again?” sets the whole episode in motion (wait for it).

Though they blame Cartman for his part in the test score, Butters and Jimmy see that the system itself is flawed and go to the test administrators to lodge a complaint. “All the students know who the 1% is; you’re just making the 99% more angry,” warns Jimmy; but since no one will listen he decides it is time to form a protest. As a result, Butter and Jimmy accidentally ignite the #OccupyRedRobin movement, and the opportunity is instantly seized by the media.

All the while, Cartman has been obsessing over the altercation at school, becoming convinced that the 99% are out to get him. This is only reinforced when Clyde Frog, his beloved stuffed animal, turns up dead. At the funeral, Cartman makes an impassioned speech against the 99%’ers, claiming that they have now resorted to murder and must stop blaming the 1% for what is CLEARLY Obama’s fault.

But the next night, someone sets Cartman’s room on fire and Peter Panda is ‘killed’ in the blaze.

Meanwhile, the #OccupyRedRobin movement in South Park is veering off-course. When one occupant is asked what they hope to accomplish from the movement, he replies, “I like the A1 peppercorn burger.” Nevertheless, media and law enforcement are taking the occupation VERY seriously, and soon new group joins in… the 83%. To clear up the math… Cartman (in the 4th grade class) is the reason all students were forced to give up recess. So Steve Tamil, representing the other classes – the 83% – is now protesting the 4th grade class – the 17% … and that is just how stupid class warfare can be, kids! But in South Park, this is all a very serious matter.

Cartman is taking it very seriously; fearing for his stuffed animals and own life, he moves in with Token. Besides being Cartman’s wealthiest friend, Token is black; and Cartman reasons that he can trust him, because black people are incapable of doing anything wrong these days. Paranoid and certain that the 99% are going to get him, Cartman soon turns against his friends and even Token – amidst which his other toys go missing.

What follows is a steep decent in to the mouth of Cartman’s madness… He first finds Muscle Man Mark, boiled alive; then Rumpletumpskin is strung up and decapitated. Finally to his horror, Cartman discovers Polly Prissy Pants, the only toy he has left, was behind the entire massacre. Her plan was to frame Token, but Cartman points out that black people can’t be blamed for anything these days (again, Obama). With no other choice, Cartman shoots his beloved doll in the head (and then 5 more times) before he breaks down crying.

What I love about this episode is the moment the camera pans back to reveal his friends, mom and Token’s parents watching in horror. We all know Cartman is crazy, but South Park never fails to up the ante on his psychosis. His elaborate plot is kind of genius; it allowed him to get rid of his stuffed animals without any guilt and kind of ‘grow up’. But of course it had to be South Park style, offending at least one race and one political movement in the process.

Good work, South Park.. now get down to State Street! They’re occupying Macaroni Grill!

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2011/11/11/corinas-cartoon-cuts-south-park-1/feed/2correlationsOccupy South ParkCartman DollsTake The Red Pill – The Matrix Conspiracyhttps://biffbampop.com/2011/11/09/take-the-red-pill-the-matrix-conspiracy/
https://biffbampop.com/2011/11/09/take-the-red-pill-the-matrix-conspiracy/#commentsWed, 09 Nov 2011 19:09:43 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=4641I submit, for your conspiracy consideration, The Matrix – one of my all time favourite mind-blowing conspiracies. Now, I’ll admit that movie enthusiasts and college professors have ruined the metaphorical subtly of the franchise (and the third film didn’t help) but I firmly propose that The Matrix is one of the best examples of this week’s Biff Bam Pop theme… because EVERYTHING is a big fat conspiracy.

Reality is a Conspiracy.

Ok, so this is a bit obvious, but literally every aspect of reality in The Matrix is designed as a giant conspiracy against humankind. There’s no greater conspiracy than misleading us to believe in a world which doesn’t exist; but worse, the machines are doing this to keep us enslaved as a source of bio-electrical energy. Since humans are born into the matrix, it is a particularly nihilistic form of manipulation and a pretty grand conspiracy.

Status is a Conspiracy.

It also seems the division of class wealth and individual prosperity or ‘status’ in the matrix, is a big conspiracy. The same issues #Occupy protesters are trying to highlight are simply part of the matrix design. Cypher, the human who betrays Zion, shows that wealthy or powerful users may have made backdoor deals with the computers to be reinstated in to the matrix.

There is also Merovingian, the rogue program who can manipulate the computers’ system to give him the ability to break the rules; he has wealth, power, and a beautiful wife (Persephone). In this way, anyone living inside the matrix (and supposedly in our world) is subject to an elaborate fantasy created by the computers, but manipulated by opportunists.

Your Ego is a Conspiracy.

Ahh, Mr. Anderson… none of us want to be a pawn living in the matrix. But even once awoken, Neo remains the victim of an elaborate conspiracy (or prophecy, if you will) which essentially sacrifices his self-determinism to benefit a higher ruling order.

Morpheus appropriates Neo to play the role of saviour, and pushes him to follow a pre-ordained path knowing that it could mean his end. In the end we learn that the machines are similarly using Neo to fulfill their own means, and destroy the human race. Just when you thought you were the chosen one, you end up being the sacrificial lamb. Even your salvation is a conspiracy.

Of course, The Matrix is not a traditional conspiracy movie; but it touches on a very real symptom of conspiracy stories: a deep sense of doubt in our most trusted elements of existence. If you feel like further shaking your foundations, I strongly recommend The Animatrix; haunted houses, sprint racing, and other random facets of reality belie more of the big fat conspiracy.

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2011/11/09/take-the-red-pill-the-matrix-conspiracy/feed/3matrix-leadcorrelationsMatrix1-RealityMatrix2-MerovingianMatrix3-egoCorina’s Cartoon Cuts: South Park Broadway Bro Downhttps://biffbampop.com/2011/11/02/corinas-cartoon-cuts-south-park-broadway-bro-down/
https://biffbampop.com/2011/11/02/corinas-cartoon-cuts-south-park-broadway-bro-down/#commentsWed, 02 Nov 2011 16:00:28 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=4493The latest episode of South Park helps to explain a phenomenon I’ve never personally understood: the ongoing obsession with musical theatre. I’d say Trey Parker’s well qualified to enlighten us… he’s won 9 Tonys. But more importantly, I learned why so many men put up with taking their women to musicals; the magic of subtext!

Starring my favourite adult South Park character Randy Marsh, Broadway Bro Down pits him against some of the most hardcore musical composers in the industry; and also reveals that despite recent events, Randy and Sharon’s marriage is stronger than ever… thanks to blow jobs. Oh, and vegans suck.

[Spoilers start here]

At work, Randy learns that a colleague skipped a football game to take his wife to the Denver production of Wicked (the musical). Baffled by this choice, Randy starts to mock him but soon other guys speak up in defense of going to musicals… which they say always leads to a blow job. Doubtful, Randy immediately gets theatre tickets for Sharon to test the theory.

As they sit watching Wicked, (which I have never seen, but looks as bad as any crummy musical ever made) Randy is still unable to make the connection. But a fellow patron assures him that a hummer is coming, and that Sharon is being subliminally encouraged by the musical’s sub text. Amazed, Randy listens more closely and suddenly hears the true message behind the musical – blow jobs! Every line is very subtly interwoven with words of blow job encouragement, and women are so entranced by the spectacle that they don’t even notice!

The proof comes when Sharon goes down on Randy in the car on the way home. Inspired, Randy immediately makes plans to take Sharon to New York for a weekend of musicals & blow jobs. Unfortunately, this leaves Stan and Shelley to stay with the vegan family who have moved in next door; suffice it to say they suck, the vegan boy falls in love with Shelley, and she starts teaching him to not suck.

Upon returning from NYC, a very satisfied Randy is faced with a new problem… there aren’t any new musicals to go see with Sharon. So he sets out to write his own musical: Splooge Drenched Blowjob Queen (it’s a metaphor!)

However breaking in to Broadway is no casual matter… if you’re going to ‘Bro’ down with the best, you’d better be prepared. Randy clearly isn’t when he is confronted about his sloppy subtext by Andrew Lloyd Weber, Stephen Schwartz, Elton John and Stephen Sondheim, which threatens to expose their own pro-fellatio productions.

Though Randy argues that he is trying to develop a metaphor, the Bros are having none of it. In defense of his masterpiece, Randy decides to “Bro down” against Sondheim… and what makes him the brothority? West Side Story, Bro. But all they really do is face off, agree to respect each other, and then totally ‘Bro out’ at Hooters.

Randy and the musical composers put their differences aside, because that’s what bros fuckin’ do. They also decide to help Randy with his subtext… and start by changing the title of his musical to The Lady in White (it’s a metaphor!) …‘Cause that’s Bro’dway, baby. Obviously Trey and Matt encountered some interesting obstacles when developing The Book of Mormon for Broadway… I wonder who inspired this episode.

Anyway, back to the story… Randy would be on cloud 9, except he finds out his daughter is going to see Wicked. Shelley and her new boyfriend (saved from the lameness of veganism) are already on their way, and desperate to stop them, Randy has no choice but to tell Sharon the secret behind musical theatre. Sharon’s realization is one of the funnier points in the episode, too.

As we all know, there’s one sure way to destroy musical theatre and completely stop a show it its tracks – introduce Spider-Man. If you aren’t aware of the debacle known as the Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark Musical, it’s worth a quick Googling… the production has been rife with issues, injuries, and insurance claims.

Knowing he has to stop Shelley from seeing Wicked, Randy simply dresses up as Spider-Man and crashes the show. The ex-Vegan is killed in the process… but as Randy later explains to his daughter, “Spider-Man had a very good reason for doing what he did.”

But the real conclusion here is that Randy and Sharon’s marriage is stronger than ever. Despite the fact that she was ‘tricked’ in to giving him blow jobs, Sharon realizes that something that makes both her and Randy happy is a really special thing. The moral of the story, is that musicals make your marriage stronger… and that tickets to The Book of Mormon can be purchased online (you’ll get a blow job, Bro).

]]>https://biffbampop.com/2011/11/02/corinas-cartoon-cuts-south-park-broadway-bro-down/feed/1southpark-broadway1correlationssouthpark-broadway1southpark-broadway2bookofmormonCorina’s Cartoon Cuts: Best of Simpsons Halloweenhttps://biffbampop.com/2011/10/31/corinas-cartoon-cuts-best-of-simpsons-halloween/
https://biffbampop.com/2011/10/31/corinas-cartoon-cuts-best-of-simpsons-halloween/#commentsMon, 31 Oct 2011 15:30:30 +0000http://biffbampop.com/?p=4440Halloween is still my favourite holiday of the year by far. Candy, costumes, horror films and no family obligations? Awesome. And call it nostalgia or die hard loyalty, but The Simpsons is still my favourite source of Halloween-themed entertainment. So, in celebration of my favourite holiday and my favourite show, I’m happy to bring you my Top 5 Simpsons Halloweenepisodes.

Now sure, some of you fell off the Simpsons wagon awhile back… and maybe you hit your head and forgot how awesome the show is. But let’s not forget that for a solid oh, 15 years, The Simpsons dominated the airwaves and drove the baseline for cultural comedy. Since its second season The Simpsons has embraced Halloween in annual Treehouse of Horror episodes, and these Top 5 are by far my favourite episodes for getting a strong dose of Halloween spirit.

#5: Treehouse of Horror

The first episode of the Simpsons Halloween saga began as an ode to one of my favourite horror films, Creepshow; and still holds its own against later episodes (which became subsequently more abstract in their take on ‘Halloween’). I love this episode because it offers three awesome bone chillers, all gorgeously ‘Simpsonified’ as Bart and Lisa try to top each other’s ghost stories (while Homer eavesdrops). Bad Dream House and Hungry are the Damned are fun stories with a twist, but James Earl Jones reading Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven, is classic. We used to play the audio from The Raven in this episode on a loop at my house on Halloween and people loved it! This episode totally sets the Halloween mood.

#4 Treehouse of Horror IV

Another episode that stuck to its Halloween guns and my 4th favourite features Homer making deals with the devil, a gremlin on the plane, and something the writers threw together with Vampires. Casting Ned Flanders as the Devil was one of the more brilliant establishing elements of this episode; that and the insatiable appetite for mocking classic horror films. William Shatner’s Nightmare at 20,000 feet and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (the cinematic version) all get the Springfield treatment in this clever classic episode.

#3 Treehouse of Horror VIII

Somehow this episode marks the beginning of the end for Simpsons Halloween…. but it’s a great final huzzah before the writers spiraled in to Harry Potter references (cough). I sincerely love this episode, although it’s only sitting at #3… I’m a sci-fi fan at heart, so each of these might be borderline horror but they still work at Halloween for me. HΩmega Man puts Homer against the zombie apolcalpyse, and taught me that dancing in church can be fun. Fly vs Fly shows how to haggle at garage sales, and warns of the dangers of imitating Jeff Goldblum. And finally, Easy Bake Coven… one of the more clever explanations of where Halloween came from. A solid #3 episode, for sure.

#2: Treehouse of Horror V

I had a hard time putting this episode as #2, because I love The Shining and really enjoy seeing Willy struggle. Probably the most memorable of all Simpsons Halloween episodes, the sixth season brought us The Shinning, Time and Punishment, and Nightmare Cafeteria. Almost all of the core cast is used in this episode and at the height of ‘Simpsons greatness’, it also has a lot of great punchy one-liners about Willy, Üter, and the follies of time travel. I also love the continuity between segments, with Willy being axed in the back in each story (sorry Willy). As a strong Halloween-themed episode, this comes in at a very close second to my #1.

#1: Treehouse of Horror VI (7th season)

This gem probably stands as #1 because it aired at the height of my Simpsons fanaticism. I can (shamelessly) admit that I sing the jingle for Stopping Monsters on a weekly basis, and “Holy Macaroni” has been enshrined as a point of exclamation. Why is this my #1? The episode is solid, 3 good shorts that are all Halloweeny, especially Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace (although Homer3 is borderline sci-fi) and the jokes are non-stop. This episode also featured the first 3D rendering of the Simpsons, overlaid on a real video sequence… it even won the grand prize at The Ottawa International Animation Festival (woohoo).

The Grinderhouse Halloween Party will feature the premiere of 3 killer horror films:

STRAIGHT TO HELL RETURNS 6:30pm

Before Tarantino and Rodriguez, 80s cult director Alex Cox (Repo Man, Sid and Nancy) traveled to Almeria to make his own spaghetti western, but the “digital technologies of violence and grotesquesness then (back in 1986, when Courtney was still a baby and Shane an innnocent genius and Strummer resembled the young Michael Caine)” just wasn’t gory enough so he went back and added six new scenes, digitally improved the effects added a new 5.1 stereo soundtrack by Academy Award Winner Richard Beggs, and a new color design by cinematographer Tom Richmond for a “longer, crueler Returns.”

MILLENNIUM BUG 8:30pm with Director in attendance!

Completely free of CGI monsters, this hillbilly horror meets creature feature has been a critical fave on the festival circuit. When the Haskin family seeks refuge from Y2K hysteria in the isolated forests of the Sierra Diablos mountains, madness and terror find them there.

Abducted by a vicious hillbilly clan, the Haskins fight for survival, but neither they nor the hillbilly Crawfords can comprehend the monstrous nightmare about to erupt from the bowels of the earth.

BONG OF THE DEAD 10:00pm

Shot for $5000 with one camera over 15 days, director Thomas Newman spent two years painstakingly learning post-production programs and compositing 355 shots himself. The film sees meteorites from outer space cause an all out zombie outbreak, leaving only a few survivors. Tommy and Edwin are a pair of stoner buddies who keep themselves occupied by growing and smoking as much pot as humanly possible.

One day they discover that by using zombie brains as fertilizer, they are able to grow a strain of super potent weed. In order for them to be able to keep a constant surplus of pot they must find more zombies! Together they embark on a road trip in search of zombies but end up finding more than they bargained for in this hilarious action adventure comedy! This film gives a new meaning to the word “Munchies.”